Day 1: Slice and Bake Brown Sugar Cookies

Its time to get this Christmas cookie party started!

When I first saw pictures of these cookies, I thought they were so neat. The striped cookies are my favorite. The designs with the different colored dough is just something you don't usually see, so I wanted to make these because they were so unique.

This recipe is a little time consuming when it comes to rolling out the dough. Bridget has some good tips (and way more pictures) in her post to help you along. I think I would be better at these if I make them again - I just haven't perfected by dough rolling skills yet.

Slice and Bake Brown Sugar Cookies

from Bridget at The Way The Cookie Crumbles

Makes about 8 dozen

4 c. unbleached flour

1 tsp. baking powder

¼ tsp. baking soda

2 eggs, preferably room temperature

2 tsp. vanilla extract

20 Tbsp. (2½ sticks) butter, room temperature

1 tsp. salt

1 c. firmly packed light brown sugar

½ c. granulated sugar

½ ounce unsweetened chocolate, finely chopped

DIRECTIONS:

In a medium-sized bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, and baking soda. Break the eggs into a small measuring cup, whisk them lightly, and mix in the vanilla.

Place the butter in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment (or a large mixing bowl if you’re using a hand-held mixer). Beat the butter on medium-low speed until it’s smooth, then add the salt and both sugars. Continue beating on medium-low until the mixture is light and fluffy, about 2 minutes, scraping the sides of the bowl as needed. With the mixer running, gradually add the egg mixture. Once the eggs have been added, scrape the sides of the bowl once, then continue mixing on medium speed for about 1 minute. Reduce the mixer speed to low and gradually add the flour mixture, mixing just until evenly combined. Divide the dough into three equal portions.

For the striped cookies: Divide the first portion of dough into three more equally sized parts. Color one third red, another green, and leave the last one white. Between sheets of wax paper, roll each portion out to a 3-by-9-inch rectangle. Freeze the rectangles for about 10 minutes, until they’re firm enough to cut and stack. Cut each rectangle in half lengthwise to form two 1½-by-9-inch rectangles. Stack the rectangles of dough, alternating colors, to form a block of dough with stripes. Trim the edges if desired. Wrap in wax paper and freeze for at least four hours, or up to 4 weeks.

For the checkerboard cookies: Place the chocolate in a microwave-safe bowl and microwave on half power for about 30 seconds. Stir, then repeat the heating and stirring until fully melted, being careful not to burn the chocolate. Divide one portion of dough into two equally sized parts. Mix the chocolate into one half and leave the other plain. Roll each portion into a 9-by-3-inch rectangle. Freeze the rectangles for about 10 minutes, until they’re firm enough to cut and stack. Cut each rectangle into eight 9-by-3/8-inch strips. On a sheet of wax paper, lay four strips next to each other, alternating colors. Press the strips together gently to remove any gaps. Lay another four strips on top of the first layer, alternating colors between layers. Repeat twice more, until there are four layers of four strips each. Trim the edges if desired. Wrap in wax paper and freeze for at least four hours, or up to 4 weeks.

For the spiral cookies: Divide the last portion of dough into two equally sized parts. Color one half red and the other green. Between sheets of waxed paper, roll each portion of dough into an 8-by-8-inch square. Without chilling the dough, stack the squares, then tightly roll them together to form a spiral. Wrap the dough in wax paper and freeze for at least fours hours, or up to 4 weeks.

When ready to bake, adjust an oven rack to the middle position and heat the oven to 350ºF. Line a baking pan with parchment paper or a silicone mat. Slice the frozen logs into cookies about 1/8-inch thick. Lay the cookies on the prepared pan, about ½-inch apart. Bake for 7-10 minutes, just until the tops no longer look wet. Let the cookies cool on the pan for about 2 minutes, then transfer them to wire racks. Serve at room temperature. Stored in an airtight container, they cookies will be good for at least a week.REVIEW:
Although these were time consuming to prep, they were quick to cut and bake from the freezer. I actually prepped them a week ahead of time so they were quick to finish on my baking day. I really like how these taste, but I do wish each cookie was a little bigger. Also, all of the non-conformities in my rolling and stacking showed in the final product, so I will have to be more exact next time.