Easter Cookies and reminiscing my cooking years...

Its so hard to believe that Easter is this weekend, where is this year going? Liam and I will be taking a trip up into the mountains to enjoy time with friends, also known as "our Colorado family". Its always an amazing time surrounded with food, laughter, and great people.

Last week I started experimenting with different recipes for rolled sugar cookies. I have been using the same recipe for years now, its one from my first job out of pastry school; working for Chef Charlie Trotter. The man is a legend in the culinary world and I feel privileged and honored to have worked for him and learned from his team.

This time of year we would be so busy, prepping for both Easter and Passover. Pumping out tons of sugar cookies and coconut macrooons to name just two things. I always loved the rush of a busy kitchen and the comradery of the team. We all had one goal and that was Excellence! If it wasn't delicious and beautiful, it wasn't hitting our guests mouths. I miss working in a kitchen a lot, its something I have always struggled with (passion vs. priority). I do believe one day I will be back with a team, but for now its free lance projects and working on raising Liam.

After testing three new recipes, I came up with this one that I like the best.

always start with room temperature ingredients...

the creaming method...and a photobomb!!!

roll 'em out...

make em' pretty...

love is in the details...

Rolled Sugar Cookie Dough

makes 12 large cookies

Preheat oven to 350ºF

Line baking sheet with parchment paper

1 Cup Butter, softened
1 Cup Sugar
1 Egg, room temperature
1 teaspoon Vanilla
3 Cups Flour
1 teaspoon Baking Powder
1/4 teaspoon Sea Salt

Cream butter and sugar together, scraping bowl and paddle half way through.
Add egg and vanilla, scraping bowl again.
Add dry ingredients and mix to combine.

Roll dough into 2 discs and place in fridge for 20 minutes.
Flour work surface and top of dough and roll out. I rolled to the thickness of a when a penny is inserted it comes up to the date. *See photo

Cut out desired shape and place in freezer for 10 minutes.

Bake in 350ºF oven for 10 minutes, rotating pan half-way through.

Let cool and then ice with Royal Icing

I found the cutest Royal Icing Recipe via Pinterest via Sweetopia...

(seriously, can this get any cuter?)

Just get crazy and have some fun with decorating these. The adults will love them as much as the kids and they will stay fresh for about a week in an airtight container. 

Are you ready for Easter?