While I could have picked Irish Soda Bread or even Green Eggs and Ham to make and post about for this occasion, I'm choosing to write about sugar cookies instead. Why sugar cookies? Because they're the most classic holiday cookie you can eat (Chocolate Chip does not count as a "holiday cookie" to me, but rather an "anytime cookie"). Sugar cookies are the proverbial pot of golden deliciousness at the end of the rainbow. And what makes this recipe even more magical is that you can whip up one of these cookies for yourself in an instant! The recipe is individually portioned--an original creation I used at the public library where I work in our quarterly children's baking program this very afternoon!
If you're a regular reader of my blog, or a regular patron/staff member at my library, you may already be familiar with the "Bake With Me" program I set up every season for kids ages 2-6 to get hands-on baking experience with their parents or caregivers. You may have seen how excited and frazzled I get on a "Bake With Me" day, or how proudly I beamed when the program was mentioned two years ago in the national Association for Library Services to Children (ALSC) e-newsletter (scroll about halfway down the page to find the writeup and two more single-portion recipes!). When you combine baking, kids and libraries, how can the results be anything but awesome? I can't help but want to share them!
So even if you've never seen the program, the beauty of this blog is that I can show the same recipe we used so you can recreate the experience with your kids, parents, friends or just you when you're craving a cookie. You don't even have to make it green if you don't want to. Just make it fun!
Shamrock Sugar Cookies
Ingredients:
1/2 Tablespoon butter, softened
1 Tablespoon sugar
1/2 Tablespoon egg or egg substitute (the substitute makes for easier pouring--anything like Egg Beaters will work)
1/8 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 Tablespoons whole wheat pastry flour (That's what I always use, but any flour will do)
1/16 teaspoon baking soda (I just filled a 1/8 teaspoon half full)
1/16 teaspoon salt (Or a pinch. That works too)
6 drops green food coloring
Directions:
1). Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and place a square of parchment (NOT wax) paper on a baking sheet.
2). Use a fork to mush the butter in a small bowl and combine it with the sugar. Add the egg and vanilla, then mix again and set aside. In a slightly larger bowl, combine the flour, baking soda and salt.
3). Add the sugar mixture to the flour mixture. Drop in the food coloring and mix well. At this point it helps to use your hands to knead the dough a little--the green color spreads more evenly that way. Then flatten the dough with your hands and use a shamrock cookie cutter (or any cookie cutter, really) to press out the shape.
4). Bake on the parchment papered baking sheet for about 6-7 minutes, then let cool slightly before eating.
With a wee bit o' luck, you'll end up with a cookie that's quite a charm! Enough to make even the leprechauns green with envy. Enjoy!
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