Kitchen Witch

Sugar Cookies

Ingredients

• 4 cups sifted all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter
• 2 cups sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract or 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice and zest of 2 lemons
• 1/4 cup fine sanding sugar, for decorating (optional)

Method

1. In a large bowl, sift together flour, salt, and baking powder. Set aside.
2. Use an electric mixer to cream butter and sugar until fluffy. Beat in eggs.
3. Add flour mixture, and mix on low speed until thoroughly combined. Stir in vanilla or lemon juice and zest. Wrap dough in plastic; chill for about 30 minutes.
4. Preheat oven to 325?. On a floured surface, roll dough to 1/8 inch thick. Cut into desired shapes. Transfer to ungreased baking sheets; refrigerate until firm, 15 minutes. Remove from refrigerator, and decorate with sanding sugar, if desired. Bake until edges just start to brown, 8 to 10 minutes. Cool on wire racks. May be stored at room temperature in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks.

Notes: these are nice and simple to make. you can make the icing by using icing sugar, egg white and water

Peanut Butter Cookies

Ingredients

• 250 g butter, chopped
• 1 teaspoon vanilla essence
• 2/3 cup brown sugar
• 2/3 cup caster sugar
• 2 eggs, lightly beaten
• 2 1/2 cups plain flour
• 1 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
• 3/4 - 1 cup smooth peanut butter

How to...

1. Beat butter, essences, sugars and eggs in a medium bowl with electric mixer until combined. Stir in dry ingredients
2. Drop level tablespoons of misture, about 4 cm apart on to greased trays
3. Cook in a moderately hot oven, 190 degrees C, for about 10 minutes or until lightly browned. Remove from oven. Use the back of a teaspoon to make an indentation into cookies. Fill dent with about 1 teaspoon of peanut butter and leave it to cool in trays.

White-choc Apricot Cookies

Ingredients

• 2 eggs
• 1 1/3 cups brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla essence
• 1/2 vegie oil
• 1 cup plain flour
• 3/4 cup self raising flour
• 1/2 tea spoon bicarbonate of soda
• 1/2 cup White Choc Melts, chopped
• 1/2 cup chopped dried apricots
• 3/4 cup chopped macadamia nuts

How to...

1. Beat eggs, sugar and essence in a small bowl with an electric mixer for about 1 minute or until mixture changes in colour. Transfer to a large bowl; stir in remaining ingredients. Cover and refregerate for 1 hour.


2. Roll lever tablespoons of mixture in to balls. Place about 6 cm apart onto greased oven trays


3. Cooked in a moderately hot oven, 190 degrees C for about 10 minutes or until lightly browned. Stand for 5 minutes; cool on wire racks.

**this is a hit in my house. They are loving it to death