Swig {Knockoff} Sugar Cookies

I was preparing to make sugar cookies for Valentine's Day, when I came across a friend's post on Instagram. She had just visited St. George, Utah for the weekend and had posted about Swig's famous sugar cookies that I've heard so much about. I have never tried them, but I found a recipe online and made them as a dessert for my kids' lunches this week.... Then I made them again today... for Valentine's Day... which is this weekend! They are SO good! Now, I'm going to hide the rest of them in my freezer so I don't eat any more!

I like them for 2 reasons: They aren't overly sweet and I don't have to roll out the dough and cut them into shapes. Kind of lazy of me, but these do the trick. I even added some Valentine's sprinkles and VOILA... Very festive (easy) sugar cookies!

So, until I actually get to try a sugar cookie from Swig, these are my favorite little sweet treat.

Recipe slightly adapted from Tastebook (added vanilla & decreased salt in frosting). 

Makes about 4 dozen cookies.

COOKIES:
1 cup butter (room temperature)
3/4 cup vegetable oil
1 1/4 cup sugar
3/4 c. powdered sugar
2 Tbs. water
2 eggs
Dash of almond extract

1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. Cream of Tartar
1 tsp. salt
5 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

Cream together butter, vegetable oil, sugars, water, eggs, almond and vanilla extracts. Combine dry ingredients and slowly add to butter mixture. Mix until everything is combined. Your dough should be a little crumbly and not sticky at all.

Roll a golf ball sized ball of dough and place it on your cookie sheet (I used a cookie scoop). Now it's time to give these babies their signature rough edge. Put 1/4 c. of sugar in a dish (this is in addition to the sugar listed above). Stick the bottom of a glass in it. This is going to be your cookie press.

Firmly press it into the center of your dough ball. You want your dough to spill out over the sides of the glass. If there is a lip, it's even better.

Bake at 350 degrees F. for 8 minutes. I like to take mine out just before they begin to brown and let them cool for 1-2 minutes before moving them to a cooling rack. Once they are cool, put them in the fridge.

FROSTING:

1/2 cup butter (room temperature)
3/4 cup sour cream
About 1 (2 pound) package of powdered sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
2-4 Tbs. milk
red food coloring (optional)

Start by creaming together butter, sour cream and salt. Slowly add powdered sugar. When it gets too thick, add a splash of milk.

Alternate this process until your frosting is the desired consistency. Add 1 drop of red food coloring and whip on high for 1 minute. Frost cookies when cool and store cookies in the fridge until ready to serve.

Rose Cake and Buttercream Frosting

I needed to make a cake for my cute little one's birthday and my sister Natalie had made a rose cake that was darling, so I decided to give it a try. The original idea came from the "I Am Baker" blog, but I adapted it a little to my taste. You need a good thick frosting so that the roses will hold their shape. This is what I used and I thought that it worked great and tasted amazing!

1/2 cup butter- softened
1/2 cup shortening
1 tsp. vanilla
1 scant tsp. lemon extract
8 cups (2 lbs.) powdered sugar
1/3-1/2 cup milk

Soften butter and shortening at room temperature for a couple hours and then mix together well with vanilla and lemon extract. Slowly add powdered sugar and blend until well combined. Add milk just until you reach the right consistency. Remember that this frosting should be a little stiffer than normal. Add coloring if desired.

You can use any cake mix or recipe that you like and bake it in 2- 9 inch round pans. Allow the cakes to cool and then flatten off the top of one of the cakes. Place the flattened cake on your serving stand, spread with an even layer of frosting, and then place the other cake on top. Spread on a good crumb coat before putting on the roses.

You will need a Wilton 1M tip and a good frosting bag. Start with the sides and create roses by starting in the middle and swirling the frosting outward in a circle. Continue all the way around the edge and then do the roses on top. You can fill in the dead spaces with a little extra swipe from the frosting bag. Super easy for a beautiful result!

Tutorial: Color-swirled cupcakes

I helped with a friend's baby shower last month and it was my job to make the cake. I was SO excited, because the theme was "The Very Hungry Caterpillar" book by Eric Carle. I'd seen a few cakes online that inspired me, so I had lots of ideas. I wanted to try color-swirling my cupcakes so my caterpillar would resemble the one in the book, but I had never tried this technique before. Here are 3 options for multi-colored frosting:

1. Brush striping (for bold color stripes): Put the tip onto your pastry bag, then fold the edges down. Squeeze or brush food coloring in stripes from the pastry tip out toward the wide end of the bag. Carefully spoon frosting into the bag, then decorate cupcakes.   
2. Spatula Striping (for subtle color swirls): Make 2 (or more) different colors of frosting. Using a spatula, layer different colors of frosting into your pastry bag, then swirl onto cupcakes.
3. Separate color swirl technique: Make 2 different colors of frosting. Lay out a rectangle of waxed paper, then spread your first color onto it in a long stripe. Roll it up and twist one end. Repeat with the other color of frosting. Cut one end of each frosting roll and place side by side in a prepared pastry bag. When you squeeze the frosting out, it will have 2 colors, side by side! HERE's a great tutorial for this technique.

TIPS: You'll do best with a thicker frosting, such as buttercream. When you are ready to decorate your cupcakes, squeeze all the air out and get the frosting flowing first by testing on a plate.

For this cake, I used 1 box of Devil's Food cake and made 22 cupcakes and baked the small round cake (for the caterpillar's head) in a Pyrex glass bowl. I made the eyes, nose, feet and antennae out of Marzipan (almond paste) that I colored with food coloring. I covered a large piece of cardboard with wrapping paper for the backdrop. 

UPDATE: July, 2011: 

I used technique #3 (3 separate colors, wrapped in waxed paper, then put in one pastry bag) for my daughter's birthday party and here's how the cupcakes turned out...

Grandma Em's Spice Cake Frosting

**This dreamy panoche frosting is another favorite recipe from Jules. This was her Grandma Emma Rae Ashton's signature dessert, and I get rave reviews every time I serve it.

1/2 cup butter
1 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 cup milk
1 3/4- 2 cups powdered sugar

Melt butter & add brown sugar in medium saucepan. Boil over medium heat for two minutes, stirring constantly. Add milk and stir until mixture returns to a full boil. Cool to lukewarm. Add powdered sugar gradually until frosting is desired consistency. If frosting becomes too stiff, add a few drops of milk to thin.

Pour or spread over spice cake (baked according to package directions and cooled) while frosting is still fresh.

Super Moist Chocolate Cake

My construction loving 4 year old requested a truck cake for his birthday. He was very specific that it should be chocolate cake with orange frosting and green letters. I didn't have a chocolate cake mix on hand, but I found this recipe in the "Keeping Up Cookbook" and it was fabulous.

2 cups flour

1/2 cup cocoa powder

2 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. salt

1/2 cup butter- softened

2 cups sugar

2 tsp. vanilla

2 cups boiling water

2 eggs

Combine dry ingredients in a medium bowl and set aside. In another bowl, cream together butter, sugar, and vanilla. Mix in the boiling water and then add the eggs and beat until well combined. Gradually add dry ingredients and mix well. Pour into a greased and floured 9x13 cake pan and bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean.

I am positive that we have posted our favorite frosting recipe already, but I will include it for yourconvenience. If you are looking for a great tasting basic buttercream, this is your recipe.

1/2 cup (one cube) butter- softened

4 cups (a one pound bag is perfect) powdered sugar

1/4 cup milk

1 tsp. vanilla

Beat together butter and powdered sugar until the butter is well incorporated. Add milk and vanilla and beat well. At this point, you can add a little more milk if the frosting seems too thick and color as desired.

Frosted Sugar Cookies

Okay, it's confession time... I almost always have fresh homemade cookies in our home. We grew up that way, I really love baking, and my kids love a homemade cookie in their lunches. Luckily, once they are cooled, I usually don't eat them, but I cannot refuse a cookie hot out of the oven! The one cookie that I consider a little more labor-intensive (but are irresistible when cooled and frosted) is the sugar cookie. We made some for Valentine's Day this week and had some fun experimented with different cookie and frosting recipes. After trying 2 new versions, I still love my Mom's recipe and this sugar cookie recipe I have in my recipe box that's written in my 5th grade handwriting (recipe below)! I still need to try Brooke's recipe. She's an amazing cook, so I'm sure they're fabulous!
*Click HERE for Brooke's Sugar Cookie recipe.
*Click HERE for my Mom's Sugar Cookie recipe.

Soft & Easy Sugar Cookies

1 cup butter, softened

1 cup sugar

1 egg

1 1/2 tsp. vanilla

1 tsp. almond extract

1/2 tsp. salt

1 1/2 tsp. baking powder

1/4 cup cream, sour cream or buttermilk

3 Tbs. cornstarch

2 3/4- 3 cups flour

Cream together butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add egg, almond and vanilla extracts, salt and baking powder and mix until well combined. With mixer on low, add the cream and mix well. Add the cornstarch and half of the flour. Add remaining flour a little at a time until you reach the right consistency, mixing until just combined. 

Divide dough into 2 balls. Place a sheet of parchment or waxed paper on a cookie sheet and flour a rolling pin. Roll dough out to desired thickness, then add another sheet of parchment or waxed paper on top. Chill in the fridge for at least 30 minutes. Remove from fridge and remove top sheet of parchment or waxed paper and cut into shapes! This saves you from a flour-y mess! (You can also chill dough, then roll out and cut into shapes on a floured surface.)

Bake on a greased cookie sheet at 350° F. for 7-10 minutes at , or until set but not browned. Cool for a few minutes before transferring to a cooling rack.

---------->What to frost them with???

• Click HERE for our Mom's frosting recipe (I use almond in place of lemon for these cookies)
• Click HERE for Frosting recipe from Keeping Up Cookbook
• Click HERE for Vanilla or Chocolate Buttercream Frosting recipe

Red Velvet Cupcakes

This recipe is (apparently) from NYC's famous Magnolia Bakery. Even if this recipe isn't the actual one they use they are scrumptious!

Ingredients:

3 1/3 c. flour (not self-rising)

3/4 c. (1 1/2 stick) unsalted butter, softened

 2 1/4 c. sugar

3 large eggs, at room temperature

6 Tbs. red food coloring

3 Tbs. unsweetened cocoa powder

1 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract

1 1/2 tsp salt

1 1/2 c. buttermilk

1 1/2 tsp cider vinegar 

1 1/2 tsp. baking soda

*makes 36 cupcakes 

Directions:

• In a small bowl, sift the cake flour and set aside. In a large bowl, on the medium speed of an electric mixer, cream the butter and sugar until very light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.
• In a small bowl, whisk together the red food coloring, cocoa, and vanilla. Add to the batter and beat well.
• In a measuring cup, stir the salt into the buttermilk. Add to the batter in three parts, alternating with the flour. With each addition, beat until the ingredients are incorporated, but do not overbeat.
• In a small bowl, stir together the cider vinegar and baking soda. Add to the batter and mix well. Using a rubber spatula, scrape down the batter in the bowl, making sure the ingredients are well blended and the batter is smooth.
• pour the batter into lined muffin pans. Bake for 20 minutes, or until a toothpick  inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean. 

Frosting: 

1 lb. (two 8 oz. packages) cream cheese. softened

6 Tbs. unsalted butter, softened

1 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract

5 c. confectioners powdered sugar

Directions: Using electric mixer cream together butter and cream cheese til fluffy (about 5 minutes) add vanilla, beat well. Add powdered sugar 1 c. at a time until smooth and creamy. Refrigerate frosting for 2-3 hours (no longer) to thicken before putting on cupcakes

Egg Nog Cupcakes

Yummy! My cute friend Michelle Moench Bagley passed this recipe on to me and they are a new favorite. Cute and delicious, these cupcakes would make a great holiday gift for neighbors, teachers, and friends.

1 box Pound Cake mix

2 eggs

1 1/4 c. eggnog

1/2 tsp. vanilla

1/4 tsp. nutmeg

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line muffin pan with paper liners. Combine all ingredients and mix on medium speed for two minutes. Pour into muffin cups and bake for 18-20 minutes. (Makes 18-24 cupcakes depending on how you fill them). Remove from oven and allow to cool before frosting.

Frosting

1/2 cup butter

8 oz. cream cheese

16 oz. powdered sugar (about 4 cups)

1/4 c. egg nog

*This made enough frosting for 2-3 batches of cupcakes

Frosting

*From Keeping Up cookbook

1/3 cup butter, softened but not melted

4 cups powdered sugar

1/4 cup milk

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

1 teaspoon almond extract

pinch of salt

food coloring, as desired

Cream butter slowly with powdered sugar. Add milk and beat. Add vanilla, almond extract and salt. If you need add more milk.

Pudding Frosting

This is SO good! Very light and fluffy! Picture and recipe by Ashlyn...

1 cup milk
1 small pkg. instant pudding mix
1 (8 oz.) container Cool Whip, thawed

Mix milk and pudding mix in a small bowl. Beat 2 minutes with an electric mixer. Stir in Cool Whip.

Frosts 24 cupcakes or a 9 x 13" cake.

Ladybug Cake (frosting & filling recipes)

Here are some recipes I used for my daughter's Ladybug Birthday cake.

Vanilla Buttercream Frosting

1/2 c. softened butter

3-4 c. powdered sugar

1/4 cup milk

2 tsp. vanilla

Cream butter with mixer. Beat in milk, vanilla and 3 cups powdered sugar. Add powdered sugar until you reach your desired consistency.

Chocolate Buttercream Frosting 

1/2 c. softened butter

3-4 c. powdered sugar

1/2 c. cocoa powder

2 tsp. vanilla 

Cream butter with mixer. Beat in milk, vanilla, cocoa powder and 3 cups powdered sugar. Add powdered sugar until you reach your desired consistency.

Chocolate Cream Filling

prepare 1 small pkg. instant chocolate pudding according to directions. Fold in 1/2 container cool whip. refrigerate for at least 10 minutes. 

Favorite Frosting

*From Nancy Miller

4 c. powder sugar
2/3 stick butter
2 egg whites
1/4 tsp. cream of tartar
1 tsp. lemon extract
1 tsp. vanilla extract
canned milk

*Beat powder sugar and butter. Add egg whites and beat well. Add cream of tartar, lemon, & vanilla. Add canned milk slowly until desired consistency.

Sugar Cookies

*From Nancy Miller

1 lb. margarine
2 c. sugar
2 eggs
2 tsp. vanilla
1 tsp. lemon extract
6 c. flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt

*Cream margarine & sugar. Beat in eggs, vanilla, & lemon extract. Mix flour, soda, and salt in a separate bowl. Slowly add into mixture. Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour. Roll out and cut into desired shapes. Bake at 350 degrees for 6-9 minutes, depending on size of cookies.

*See Favorite Frosting recipe for the frosting.