Thanksgiving is over, and it's time to start craftin' and fixin' yummy goodies.  Today Katie and I made sugar cookies on a stick.  They're super easy and taste so good!  Katie loves to be in the kitchen, and this is a kid-friendly recipe!

I have used many recipes for sugar cookies in the past--the following is the recipe I used today.  It is actually a gift recipe to be used as a "recipe in a jar."  It makes the perfect cookie for a cookie on a stick, so that is why I chose it.  If you want to just use it as a "recipe-in-a-jar," the recipe is written as you would provide it with the jar. 

The cookies turn out crunchy around the edges and chewy in the middle.  This is not a good recipe for cookie cutters because they puff quite a bit when you cook them.  I just shaped a ball and flattened to about 1/4 inch, stuck in a craft stick and baked for about 14-16 minutes at 350.  Yummy goodness!
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups white sugar  
1 cup butter, softened
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon lemon zest (optional)
1/2 teaspoon lemon extract (optional)(You could use almond extract or orange extract instead of lemon depending on your preference.  I love lemons, so I use them frequently when I cook.)
 
Super easy directions:

Combine dry ingredients in a medium bowl.   Cut in 1 cup of softened butter until the mixture is crumbly. In a separate bowl, beat 2 eggs, 1 teaspoon vanilla, 1 teaspoon lemon zest, and 1/2 teaspoon of lemon extract until light and fluffy. Pour into the dry ingredients and mix until well blended. Cover bowl and chill for 1 hour.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Cut or shape as desired. Place cookies 1 1/2 inches apart onto cookie sheets. Bake for 10 to 16 minutes (depending on their size) in the preheated oven, until edges begin to brown.

Katie used paint brushes, colored icing, and sprinkles to decorate...
(Daddy couldn't wait; hence, the missing bite.)

Icing recipe

1 1/2 cups sifted powdered sugar
1 TBS light corn syrup
2 TBS milk
Mix and then add food coloring.  The icing dries nicely and keeps the color of the food coloring well...