Cookie Monsters
We love our tradition of hosting cookie decorating parties every winter at The Porches so hope you can enjoy this at home too, and that it will make you think of your special times with us.
Cookie decorating is a Christmastime tradition for so many of our Porches families: the sweet aroma wafting in from the kitchen while the cookies bake in the oven, enveloping you like a warm blanket. Some kids take so much pride in decorating their cookies they may even protest when it comes time to eat them—at least until they take that first bite.
It doesn’t have to be Christmastime to decorate cookies. It’s a great way to bring families and kids of all ages together to spend some quality time being creative and enjoy a little treat. At The Porches, we regularly host cookie decorating parties during the busy season and love seeing our families come together, some who have been with us for over a decade. We have literally watched these kids grow up and love knowing that someday, they’ll have kids of their own who will also get to enjoy this special tradition.
The kids come back year after year, but it’s the parents who love it the most. Not only do they get a chance to catch up with the neighbors, they also get to enjoy a catered spread of Artisan cheeses & meats, hot roasted smoked salmon and capers, meatballs, and a fine selection of beer and wine, not to mention kids who are happily occupied, it truly is a celebration for all.
Hosting a cookie decorating party of your own is fun and easy, especially in terms of entertaining a crew of kids.
Easy Sugar Cookies
INGREDIENTS
2 1/2 cups sifted all-purpose flour
1/2 t salt
3/4 cup butter
1 1/4 cups sugar
1 egg
2 t. vanilla
DIRECTIONS
Stir flour and salt together in small bowl.
Beat butter and sugar and egg in large bowl and beat with electric mixer until fluffy; blend in vanilla.
Stir in flour mixture to make a stiff dough; wrap in cling wrap; chill 3 hours or until firm enough to roll.
Roll dough, 1/4 at a time to about 1/4 inch thickness on a lightly floured pastry board. Cut with a variety of cookie cutters.
Bake @ 350 degrees for 8-10 minutes, or until cookies are lightly browned at edges. Cool on wire racks.
Royal Frosting
INGREDIENTS
3 egg whites
1/2 t. cream of tartar
1 pound box of confectioner’s sugar, sifted
DIRECTIONS
Beat egg whites and cream of tartar until foamy in a small bowl. Slowly beat in sugar until frosting stands in firm peaks and is stiff enough to hold a sharp line when cut through with a knife.
You can keep bowl of frosting covered with damp paper towel while working, to keep frosting from drying out.
Store any leftover frosting in a tightly covered container in refrigerator for another’s day baking.
For decorating:
You can find everything you need at your local supermarket in the baking aisle: tube frosting, sprinkles, and more.
We love all these snow-inspired cookie cutters available on Amazon.
We’d love to hear how your cookies came out. Email us with your photos and stories and we’ll include them in our next newsletter.