Best Sheepy Cookies Or Sugar Cookie Dough To Shape As You Wish Recipes

CHOCOLATE SUGAR COOKIES

Steps:

• Whisk the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt together in a medium bowl. Set aside.
• In a large bowl using a hand mixer or a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the butter and sugar together on high speed until completely smooth and creamy, about 2 minutes. Add the egg and vanilla and beat on high speed until combined, about 1 minute. Scrape down the sides and up the bottom of the bowl and beat again as needed to combine.
• Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix on low until combined. Dough will be soft. If the dough seems too soft and sticky for rolling, add 1 more Tablespoon of flour.
• Divide the dough into 2 equal parts. Dust 2 large pieces of parchment paper or 2 silicone baking mats with cocoa powder (or flour). Place a dough half on each. With a rolling pin lightly dusted with cocoa powder (or flour), roll the dough out to about 1/4-inch thickness. Use more cocoa powder/flour if the dough seems too sticky. The rolled-out dough can be any shape, as long as it is evenly 1/4-inch thick.
• Lightly dust one of the rolled-out doughs with cocoa powder or flour. Place a piece of parchment on top. (This prevents sticking.) Place the 2nd rolled-out dough on top. Cover with plastic wrap or aluminum foil, then refrigerate for at least 1-2 hours and up to 2 days.
• Once chilled, preheat oven to 350°F (177°C). Line 2-3 large baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats. Carefully remove the top dough piece from the refrigerator. Using cookie cutters, cut the dough into shapes. Re-roll the remaining dough, using more cocoa powder or flour to lightly dust your work surface and rolling pin, and continue cutting the dough until all is used. Work quickly so the dough doesn't become too warm or soft. If it does, stop what you're doing and place any unused dough back in the refrigerator for 10 minutes to stiffen up again. Repeat cutting into shapes with 2nd half of dough. (Note: It doesn't seem like a lot of dough, but you get a lot of cookies from the dough scraps you re-roll.)
• Arrange shaped cookies on baking sheets 3 inches apart. Bake for 11-12 minutes or until edges are set. If your oven has hot spots, rotate the baking sheet halfway through bake time. Allow cookies to cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes and then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely before decorating.
• Prepare the royal icing or easy glaze icing and decorate the cooled cookies however you'd like. Add sprinkles on top of the icing if desired.
• Royal icing dries in about 2 hours and easy glaze icing dries in 24 hours. No need to cover the decorated cookies as you wait for the icing to set. If it's helpful, transfer cookies to a baking sheet and place them in the refrigerator to help slightly speed up the icing setting.
• Enjoy cookies right away or wait until the icing sets to serve them. Once the icing has set, these cookies are great for gifting or for sending. Plain or decorated cookies stay soft for about 5 days when covered tightly at room temperature. For longer storage, cover and refrigerate for up to 10 days.

SHEEPY COOKIES (OR SUGAR COOKIE DOUGH TO SHAPE AS YOU WISH)

Steps:

• Cream butter and sugar.
• Add egg, vanilla, and almond extract.
• Add sifted dry ingredients.
• Remove 1/3 cup dough and tint it by stirring in a tablespoon or two of cocoa powder.
• Refrigerate at least an hour to make dough easier to handle.
• Form the dough into desired shapes.
• Bake at 325 degrees on an ungreased cookie sheet for 12 to 16 minutes or until edges are lightly browned.
• To Make Sheep:.
• Shape dough into little balls from 1/8 inch to 1/2 inch.
• Arrange white dough in ovals about 2 1/2 inches by 1 1/2 inches - as a wooly sheep.
• Roll four little chocolate dough balls between your fingers to form legs and attach.
• Form 1/2 inch chocolate ovals for heads. Add a bit of white dough for an eye.

SUGAR COOKIES FOR CERAMIC COOKIE MOLDS

Steps:

• With an electric mixer, cream the butter and sugar together until they are fluffy. Beat in the egg and the milk/cream.
• Add vanilla. Add in the flour and salt at this point. Remove dough from the bowl onto a lightly floured surface.
• Knead dough briefly (not too long or it will be a tough cookie) and form into a ball. Wrap with plastic and chill in the refrigerator for about 30 minutes (or you can quick chill in the freezer for about 10).
• While dough is chilling, preheat the oven for 350°F Take your mold and lightly brush oil on the baking surface of the cookie molds. Flour the mold(s) and tap out excess flour.
• Take a piece of dough and starting at one side, press it firmly into the mold, adding more dough as needed. Be sure to level the back of the cookie.
• Now, turn your mold over and strike it a couple of times to release the cookie. The cookie should come right out. Repeat the flour dusting of the mold before molding another cookie. (do not use oil again).
• Place the formed cookie on a baking sheet with detail side up and bake in the top 3rd of your oven. This helps highlight the nice detail of the cookie. Bake for about 10 to 12 minutes.
• HELPFUL HINTS.
• Don't be timid about striking the mold on a cutting board; it will not break if you hold it upright while striking it on its edge.
• If the cookie does not release, you have used too much oil. Clean the mold with a stiff dry brush, re-flour, but don't re-oil, and try again.
• If your cookies are puffing up and losing detail, use a smaller egg. If they are spreading out and losing detail, use less sugar.
• Chill the cookie mold as well to ease in the release of the cookie.
• If you are using a mold with multiple sections like the one in the photo, do one cookie section at at time - not the whole mold.

CHEWY SUGAR COOKIES

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). In a medium bowl, stir together the flour, baking soda, and salt; set aside.
• In a large bowl, cream together the margarine and 2 cups sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs one at a time, then the vanilla. Gradually stir in the dry ingredients until just blended.
• Wrap dough with plastic wrap and chill for 30 minutes to 1 hour.
• Roll the dough into walnut-sized balls and roll the balls in remaining 1/4 cup of sugar. Place cookies 2 inches apart onto ungreased cookie sheets and flatten slightly.
• Bake for 8 to 10 minutes in the preheated oven, until lightly browned at the edges. Allow cookies to cool on baking sheet for 5 minutes before removing to a wire rack to cool completely.