Best day ever!! I got to spend the day baking cookies with my daughter, my son and his girlfriend. This cookie was my son’s idea. He likes simple cookies – he isn’t into the embellished cookies like my wife and daughter. He prefers savory, but don’t worry this is not a savory cookie. Matter of fact it is a really nice sugar cookie. I used a basic sugar cookie recipe with cream cheese in it and thought this would be a nice way to highlight simplicity in baking. This is Scott’s selection for 2017 Christmas Treat #7 – Raspberry and Vanilla Sugar Cookies.
My initial intent was to make half the dough vanilla, the other half raspberry flavor, stack one on top of the other and cut them into squares. But when he told me they were coming up and wanted to make cookies, I knew I had to stretch the experience as I really do like spending time with them in the kitchen. He’s not too much of a baker, more of a cook. He colored half the dough using the red icing to make pink, and also flavored it with the raspberry emulsion. I love raspberries and this seemed to fit the bill to give the cookies an extra boost of flavor. The kitchen smelt amazing as they were baking! Where things took a different direction was with the shapes.
I have these tiny fondant cutters and decided they would work well with this dough. They were Christmassy and would make a great addition to my sweet table. Towards the end, the dough was getting too soft and we decided to use larger cutouts. But he also remembered when we used to make stain-glass cookies as a little boy, so we made a few of those as well. Really simple of course, just pick up some clear hard candies in different colors, pound them a bit to crush them, make a hole in the cookie cutout and fill the hole with the hard candies. Through the magic of the oven, they melt and give a colored glass effect. I had a great time with him and it was a great day. Enjoy making this cookie alone or with someone. As always – enjoy!
1 cup Churn 84 European Style butter, softened
3 ounces cream cheese, softened
1 cup white granulated sugar
1 egg yolk
¾ tsp vanilla emulsion
¾ tsp raspberry emulsion
2 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
¼ teaspoon baking powder
Red food coloring, gel or natural – the amount will vary with the shade, so try a little at a time
In large bowl, add butter, cream cheese and sugar
Mix on medium until light and fluffy
Reduce the speed to low and add the egg yolk, then the vanilla
In a separate bowl, mix the flour and baking powder
While still on low, slowly add the flour mixture to the butter mixture until combined
Remove the dough and divide into two pieces
To one piece add the red food coloring and the raspberry emulsion – using a spatula, mix well – add more color if needed otherwise wrap the dough’s individually and refrigerate until firm – about 1 hour
When ready to make cookies, preheat oven to 350f
Clear a large counter space or table top
Roll the white dough first – about 1/8” thick
Roll the pink dough next – same thickness
Brush the top side of the white dough with a lightly beaten egg white – this acts as a glue and holds the two dough sheets together
Place the pink dough on top of the egg washed white dough
Gently roll over it with the rolling pin to press the two pieces together
Using cookie cutters, cut shapes and transfer to a parchment lined baking sheet
Bake for 8 – 10 minutes until cookies are slightly colored – cookies will firm as they cool. Remember to always check at the minimum time first, then either remove or continue to bake for a further minute or two
