I heard Canada geese overhead again early this morning, and wee birds chirping in the yard. Although a few piles of snow remain here and there, most of the grass around here is visible now (albeit rather brown). I was in the mood today to do something to celebrate the imminent return of spring, so I decided to make some cookies!
In my 1920s copy of the Good Housekeeping cookbook I found a simple recipe for brown sugar cookies, which can be rolled out and cut into shapes. So l cut them into the shape of eggs (with a cookie cutter of course), and sprinkled cinammon and sugar over them. I was hoping they would turn out looking like brown speckled eggs. I'm not sure that they really do, but they do taste good, and the children gobbled up quite a few!
Spring Sugar Cookies
2 cups brown sugar
1 cup butter, softened
3 eggs
About 5 cups of pastry flour
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda
1/4 cup milk
1 tsp vanilla
Cream together butter and sugar, then add the eggs, milk, and vanilla and beat well. Add half the flour (sifted with salt and soda) and mix in. Add more flour, enough to make a dough which may be rolled. (I had to add closer to 6 cups of flour, but it depends on what brand of pastry flour you use, I find).
Chill dough for at least half an hour and then roll out to about 1/4 inch thick and cut into shapes - eggs, bunnies or flowers. Decorate with sprinkles or cinammon and sugar if desired. Bake about 10 minutes at 400 degrees. Be sure to take the cookies out of the oven as soon as they are starting to brown around the edges--overbaked sugar cookies aren't very good.
Eat them and think about how happy you are that spring is on the way. :)
Well, there you have it. I thought I might as well share my little idea today, in case anyone else was in the mood to make cookies and happened to have an egg-shaped cookie cutter in their stash like I did!
Waaah! I love sugar cookies, but since my oldest is on a strictly gluten and dairy free diet, I won't be able to make them this year...I like to do gaudy iced ones for Easter. Maybe I'll see if I can find a gf recipe that's passable. Yours sound lovely!
Posted by: Stephanie K. | March 13, 2011 at 09:20 PM
I heard birds this morning, too! I actually put lint from the dryer outside hoping they'll stick around!
Posted by: Lisa | March 13, 2011 at 09:38 PM
Such a simple sweet idea.
Thank you for sharing.
Posted by: PlainandJoyfulLiving | March 14, 2011 at 10:41 AM
I love simple fair. Gingerbread Cookies with white icing, chocolate cake dusted with powder sugar, tapioca with nutmeg. I seem to have a brown and white theme so I find your speckled sugar cookie eggs just perfect! They look delicious. I have a question. Why does your book list show without the little 'buy now' at the bottom? I have googled every question I can think of and haven't gotten an answer. If it's not too much trouble I'd be thrilled if you could just share where I could find the information. Blessings.
Posted by: debbie | March 15, 2011 at 12:33 PM
I've copied the recipe Laura and I'll see how they turn out for me. Your look delicious. Thank you for sharing the recipe. We are looking forward to cooler weather in our part of Australia. I enjoy working outside in Autumn. Our trees are just starting to change colour, such a pretty time of year.
Blessings Gail
Posted by: gail.firenze | March 16, 2011 at 06:35 AM