I forgot how to use my camera. I couldn’t find my mixing bowl. Did I even HAVE butter? Baking is my language and I stopped using it so I forgot how to speak. Goo goo gah gah? Where my mixing bowl at? Sprinkles, be damned – why are you buried under cereal and leftover maltballs and almond flour? Will my brain still work? Can I make something pretty?
It has been over two months since I’ve baked anything new! In fact I had no idea what I would bake, just that I had leftover cookie dough and an urge to get a little flour-y.
It’s kind of hard to resist the shape of a donut. Round perfect circles with that cute little life preserver hole. I made the cookies by using a large circle cookie cutter, and punching out the “donut hole” with the large circle side of a piping tip.
The weather has been fluctuating from spring-y sun blaster to torrential rain – yes, God – I get it – April showers bring May flowers n all that jazz… but the day I shot these donut sugar cookies, the sun was kind of perfect and it beamed through my white kitchen curtains, casting a soft glow. It was peaceful. I put on some tunes (ok, I ruined my mellow baking aura with some 90s bompin’ rap anthems) and started rolling out dough. Oven was on, baking sheets prepped. I looked through my cupboards for sprinkles and freeze dried raspberries.
I found edible flowers in the herb section of the grocery store – so cute! So i bought a package. Edible pansies are really like eating lettuce. It is kind of weird to just pop one in your mouth. It’s neat that something so pretty and delicate and colourful is edible.
It was fun dinking around with my camera again. And not caring that much but just going for it and having a little fun, making something pretty, sprinkling some stuff onto more stuff. Feeling a little more like myself and enjoying it. Donut deny the power of making. It beats sitting around feeling depressed (although I still have those days too!). The smell of sugar cookies baking and filling my kitchen – bottle THAT up and sell it, guys. Or dot it on your pillow for some sweet sweet dreams.
Simple Sugar Cookies
ingredients
For the cookies
- 2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for rolling
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup 1 stick unsalted butter, room temperature
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
For the glaze
- 2 cups of icing sugar
- 5-6 tablespoons of whole milk
- food colouring, optional
instructions
Make the cookies
- In large bowl, whisk flour, baking powder, and salt. With an electric mixer, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in egg and vanilla. With mixer on low, gradually add flour mixture; beat until combined. Divide dough in half; flatten into disks. Wrap each in plastic; freeze until firm, at least 20 minutes, or place in a resealable plastic bag, and freeze up to 3 months (thaw in refrigerator overnight).
- Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Line baking sheets with parchment. Remove one dough disk; let stand 5 to 10 minutes. Roll out 1/8 inch thick between two sheets of floured parchment, dusting dough with flour as needed. Cut shapes with cookie cutters. Using a spatula, transfer to prepared baking sheets. (If dough gets soft, chill 10 minutes.) Reroll scraps; cut shapes. Repeat with remaining dough.
- Bake, rotating halfway through, until edges are golden, 10 to 18 minutes (depending on size). Cool completely on wire racks.
Ice the cookies
- In a small bowl, mix the glaze, adding the milk a tablespoon at a time.
- If glaze is too runny, add a little more icing sugar – a little at a time. I like my glaze thick with a slow drip so mine tends to be heavier and less opaque.
- Add food colouring if desired.
- Using a spoon, spoon the glaze onto the cooled donut sugar cookie and using the back of the spoon, smoothing it along the cookie until completely covered.
- Add sprinkles, edible flowers and freeze dried fruit, or whatever dry ingredients you have around.
- Cookies will keep for up to 1 week in an airtight container at room temperature.
Michelle @ Hummingbird High
Cute! I think baking is like riding a bicycle; once you know how, you can’t ever unlearn it. Obviously you didn’t forget, because these cookies are gorgeous!
Sara @ Cake Over Steak
Everything you make is adorable. I’ve been having a STRONG hankering for a solid lazy afternoon of making cut-out sugar cookies, and this post is not helping. :-*
cynthia
I love this. Love the just-going-with-it, sunny-peaceful(-90s-rap) vibes, these beautiful cookies, those incredible edible flowers! So happy to see this from you, Lynds <3 you are such an inspiration!!!! Rock on lady, you are the best.
movita beaucoup
Baking is one of the most restorative activities I can think of. Turning piles of flour, sugar, and salt into the prettiest of things. They don’t even resemble themselves after a baker gets their hands on ’em! I love a good transformation scene…
Amanda Vuu
Hey Lyndsay–so glad to see you baking! I would totally jam with you to that song. I love these donut cookies too! I’ve had the same idea for my blog!! You’re a great inspiration!
Anne @ Sugar Baby Bakes
These cookies are absolutely stunning, and I hope you enjoyed getting back to baking…I find it so soothing. Sending you good wishes for your health, and for having fun getting flour-y. :-)
Taylor
These are absolutely gorgeous! I’ve used edible flowers in the past for decorating, but have had the hardest time trying to find them lately – they make the perfect toppers for a myriad of desserts, but on top of these cookies is the cutest I’ve seen in awhile.
Nancy @ gottagetbaked
I’m so glad you got back into the kitchen and dusted off your baking supplies! I know what a comfort and relief baking is, especially when you haven’t done it in a long time. These donut sugar cookies are pretty damn adorable and the edible flowers are super pretty!
Juanita
I see hope, beauty and coco-cake sweetness in those cookies. Love them and sending you hugs!
chiara
these are SO pretty!