Snowflake Sugar Cookies

I woke up this morning to snow falling from the sky and I immediately had a craving for sugar cookies. I know…I can’t explain it either. To make more sense of it, I decided to make sugar cookies…in snowflake form, of course.

My craving for snow has been a little out of control lately. We haven’t received much snow in the D.C. area this year. Yes, it’s been quite chilly here but the beautiful, white, fluffy snow has made less than a handful of appearances and it hasn’t stayed for long.

As a Michigander, I have a strong love for snow. To me, there’s nothing more fun than getting bundled up and spending time in the great outdoors skiing, skating, playing with the dogs, and having snowball fights. When I was young, I would spend hours on end playing in the snow, only to come inside and enjoy a warm and cozy mug full of hot cocoa with marshmallows. Our cheeks and noses were rosy, our hands and toes were chilly, out spirits and hearts were filled, and our memories and stories were created.

Now that I’m living in the D.C. area, it’s always fun to escape the concrete jungle and head north to get our wintry fix. When we can’t escape to the north, I sit here with crossed fingers and toes when the temperatures drops in hopes of seeing just a few snowflakes fall from the sky. And, when that happens, I can’t help but get as giddy as a child.


In celebration of the little bit of snow that we did receive today (I know that many other people out there are feeling a little buried in snow), I’m sharing Snowflake Sugar Cookies with you. They are the perfect indulgence for a snow day.


Snowflake Sugar Cookies

Ingredients:

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1 large egg
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• Frosting and decorations

Directions:

1. Whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl.
2. Cream together the butter and sugar in a mixing bowl. Beat in egg and vanilla extract. Slowly add in flour mixture.
3. Split the dough in half and flatten into 1/2-inch thick disks. Wrap each disk in plastic wrap. Place the disks in the refrigerator for two hours (or freeze for 20 minutes) or until firm. 
4. Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Line a baking sheeting parchment paper.
5. Remove the disks from the refrigerator and let stand for 5 to 10 minutes. Roll out the dough into 1/8 inch thick sheets, dusting with flour as needed.
6. Cut shapes with a cookie cutter and transfer the dough to the prepared baking sheets. Tip: Flour cookie cutters to keep dough from sticking.
7. Bake for 10-18 minutes (rotating halfway through) or until the edges are golden. Cool completely on a wire rack. Frost and decorate when cookies are cooled.

What is your favorite cookie shape?

*Recipe adapted from Martha Stewart