Sugar cookies for Santa

Cookies for Santa!

Christmas is 3 days away! I wrapped some gifts last night and still have more to get. Baking has been going on for a few weeks already, but not many healthy options. For December's Reciperedux challenge, we had to turn to page 42 in a cook book and make over that recipe. Reciperedux is the community blog group I have been involved in for the past few months. This has been Reciperedux's 42nd month, explaining why page 42 is important.

I tried to use my grandmom's old cook book, but it was a recipe fail. So instead I used a more up to date cook book from my boyfriend's mom: "The Taste of Home: Baking Book".

On page 42 was the recipe for simple sugar cookies from the refrigerator cookie section. For a refrigerator cookie, you must roll the dough into a log form, wrap the dough tightly, refrigerate or freeze it, and than slice into cookies. I changed up the recipe to have healthier ingredients with less sugar, less butter, and more fiber. Instead of cutting the cookies from the chilled dough roll, we made cutouts to get in the Christmas spirit.

These cookies are perfect for Christmas time.  Christmas is a time to bake with family and friends. We made this Reciperedux a family time with my boyfriend and his mom baking with me. It was fun and challenging to make this simple sugar cookie "healthier",  but I think we did a great job and had fun. I am happy with the end result. 

"The Taste of Home: Baking Book": 

Simple Sugar Cookie

Ingredients:

1 cup butter, softened

1-1/4 cups confectioner's sugar

1 egg

1 tsp vanilla extract

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp cream of tartar

1/8 tsp salt

Recipe redo: 

Simple Sugar Cookie

Makes:  2 dozen cut outs

Ingredients:

• 4 tbsp butter, softened
• 1/3 cup coconut oil
• 3/4 cup confectioners' sugar
• 1 egg
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/2 tsp butter extract
• 1 1/2 cups white whole wheat flour
• 1/2 cup coconut flour
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp cream of tartar
• 1/8 tsp salt
  

Directions (Some steps similar to Taste of Home's recipe):

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. 
2. In a large mixing bowl, cream butter, coconut oil, and confectioners' sugar until light and fluffy. 
3. Beat in egg, vanilla extract, and butter extract.
4. Combine both coconut and whole wheat flour, baking soda, cream of tarter, and salt into a separate bowl. Slowly add dry mixture to large mixing bowl until combined.
5. For refrigerator cookies: roll dough into 2- 5 inch rolls, wrap in plastic wrap. Refrigerate for 1 hour or until firm. When ready, with a knife cut into cookies. Place on baking sheet,  bake for 8-10 min.
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
6. What we did for the cutout cookies: We chilled the dough for a half hour. When trying to roll out the dough, it become dry and crumbled. We used water to help the rolled cookies stay together. Instead of rolling out the whole dough ball, we did cut outs one at a time. Water helped keep the cookies moist and together. Brush the cookies with water, add sprinkles or sugar to decorate, bake for 9-11 minutes (these cookies are bigger than refrigerator cookie recipe, so they take longer to bake). 
   
   
   
   
   (My helper!)
   
   
   
7. Place cookies on drying rack, decorate some more.
   
8. Enjoy or leave for Santa!
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   Have a Merry Christmas and Happy Healthy New Year!!
   
   
   
   

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