cookies

Cookie Decorating Kits {Where in Westchester?}

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Cookie decorating is a fun, indoor holiday activity! It keeps the kids entertained and you end up with a tasty treat to enjoy! I am fortunate that my kids are old enough to help make sugar cookies which we recently did. However, making the cookie dough and then letting it chill, baking the cookies, making the icing and then finally getting to decorate the cookies takes a lot of time!

Here are some of the places in Westchester County where you can purchase DIY holiday cookie decorating kits. Everything is prepped, packaged and ready so you can immediately get to the fun part, decorating! Most of these businesses require you to preorder the kits. If you want them in time to do with the kids over the holiday break, get your orders in soon!
*Please check with the vendor directly for the most up-to-date prices and information.

Flour and Sun Bakery: (Pleasantville) Kits cost $15.00 and include 6 cookies (2 different shapes) with 2 tubs of royal icing and sprinkles.

Flowerbake by Angela: (Pelham) Flowerbake by Angela sells puzzle cookie decorating kits. You can purchase a baked cookie kit which includes an instruction sheet as well as all the cookies and icing, a dough kit – which includes a ball of cookie dough, cookie cutters, icing, parchment paper and instruction sheet or a cookie dough mix kit – which includes the sugar cookie mix, cookie cutters, icing, parchment paper and instruction sheet. Prices range between $35=$38. Available for pickup or delivery.

Mama Ingram Bakes: DIY Christmas cookie kits – $15 for 6 cookies or $30 for 12 cookies. Kits include cookies, icing and sprinkles.

Sugar Mama by Kim: (New Rochelle)
Kim sells DIY cookie kits that include 12 cookies, 3 bags of icing, a container of sprinkles and decorations for $35. She also sells Paint Your Own cookie kits. Each cookie is $6 each or 6 for $30. Orders are submitted via a form that can be found on her Facebook page.

Sugar & Sweets by Stacey (Yonkers)
Sugar & Sweets by Stacey is selling Winter themed cookie kits. They are $39 and includes 12 cookies, 3 icings, 6 popsicle sticks and 2-3 containers of sprinkles. There are 4 different themed kits to choose from: gingerbread men and women, snowflakes and snowmen, mittens, hats and penguins and ugly sweaters. They are also selling stencil cookie kits for $33. These kits include 6 cookies and 3 paint brushes. Orders can be picked up in Yonkers or delivered.

Wildly Cakes: (White Plains) Cookie kits are $35 and include 12 baked cookies in the shape of your choice, frosting to match the theme, sprinkles and directions. Orders must be placed one week in advance. Pickup in White Plains. Delivery is available for an additional fee on a first come, first serve basis.

Chewy Lemon Cookies

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Chewy Lemon Cookies

As I mentioned in Monday’s post, our February supper club’s theme was citrus (yes, I’m really behind on posts!).  I chose to make dessert and made the Coconut Key Lime Pie that I had posted Monday.  I rarely choose to make dessert for supper club because I feel so much pressure!  If my dish for the main meal doesn’t work out, there are several other dishes to help round out the meal and it’s not a big deal (not that this has ever really happened, luckily!).  Making dessert, you’re on your own!  If it ends up being a fail, then the group goes without dessert (insert sad face).    To help alleviate my stress I decided to make these Chewy Lemon Cookies as back-up!  While I mentioned I’m not a citrus fan, I somehow made two citrus desserts that I enjoyed!  These cookies were basically a sugar cookie with a hint of lemon.  They were nice and soft and chewy.  You could definitely taste the lemon flavor, but it was not overpowering or mouth-puckering.  These are cookies that I’d make again, especially when I’m in the mood for something non-chocolatey.

Chewy Lemon Cookies
Recipe from blog how sweet it is

Ingredients:
2 cups + 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 stick of butter, melted and cooled
1 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 egg + 1 egg yolk, at room temperature
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
2 teaspoons freshly grated lemon zest
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon lemon extract

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.  In a small bowl, mix the flour, baking soda and salt and set aside.

2. In a large bowl, add the cooled, melted butter and whisk in the sugar until smooth. Add in the egg and egg yolk, mixing to combine.  Whisk in the lemon juice, lemon zest, vanilla and lemon extracts. Stir in the flour mixture until a dough forms. If needed, use your hands to help mix the dough.

3.  Scoop the dough into golf-ball sized balls and place on a baking sheet 2 inches apart. Bake for 10-12 minutes, or until middle is just set an edges are slightly golden.  Let cool on wire racks and then enjoy!

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Chocolate Peanut Butter Chip Cookies

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I love making homemade cookies.  They are usually really easy to make and often make a lot!  I can send some into work with the Mr., store some in the freezer and still have plenty for us to snack on throughout the week.  We feel so much better giving the kids homemade cookies versus the packaged kind….not that we don’t buy a package of cookies from the grocery store every now and then!  I love that I can take cookies out of the freezer, put them in the kids’ lunch bags, and by lunchtime they are defrosted for them to enjoy.  I had a bag of peanut butter chips sitting in the pantry for way too long.  I was on a mission to use them and found this recipe.  These cookies were really good..nice and soft and chewy.  You can’t go wrong with the combination of chocolate and peanut butter!

Chocolate Peanut Butter Chip Cookies
Recipe adapted from My Mommy Style

Ingredients:

  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • ¾ cup cocoa
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup butter
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • 1  1/2 cups peanut butter chips

Directions:

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
  2. Mix flour, cocoa, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl.
  3. Beat butter and sugar in a large bowl with a mixer until fluffy. Add the eggs, one at a time mixing until combined.  Add vanilla and continue mixing.
  4. Gradually add the flour mixture, beating well. Stir in the peanut butter chips.
  5. Drop rounded teaspoons of cookie dough onto ungreased cookie sheets. Bake 8-9 minutes (cookies will be soft, do not overbake).
  6. Cool on cookie sheet for 1-2 minutes before removing and adding to wire rack to cool completely.

As Seen on Pinterest: Mocha Snickerdoodles

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Mocha Snickerdoodles

Everyone loves cookies, right?!!  I’m not much of a baker, but after muffins, cookies are my favorite thing to bake. I can stick the cookies in the freezer and pull a couple out when I’m in the mood for something sweet.  I love anything mocha and these Mocha Snickerdoodles were a winner!  The combination of chocolate, coffee and hint of cinnamon was spot on!  The original pin I found here was for Espresso Snickerdoodles.  To make these cookies more kid-friendly, and not have my children hyped up on caffeine, I used decaf coffee granules.  With the exception of the hour the dough needs to chill, these cookies were really quick and easy to make.  These were moist, chocolatey cookies with a hint of coffee flavor that we all liked. The recipe made about 36, which was way too many for us.  I was feeling generous when I made these and sent some in with my husband so his co-workers could enjoy them as well!

Mocha Snickerdoodles
Slightly adapted from recipe found at Cupcakes and Kale Chips from guest blogger Tanya from Lemons for Lulu

Ingredients:

  • 3 tablespoons water
  • 2 tablespoons decaffeinated coffee granules
  • ½ cup butter softened
  • ¾ cup granulated sugar
  • ¾ cup brown sugar
  • 1 teaspoon cream of tartar
  • ½ teaspoon baking soda
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 2 eggs
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla
  • ½ cup cocoa powder
  • 2 ¼ cup flour
  • ¼ cup sugar
  • 2 teaspoons cinnamon
 Instructions:
  • In a small bowl, combine water and decaffeinated coffee granules and stir until dissolved.
  • In a mixing bowl, beat butter and sugars together until creamy. Stir in cream of tartar, baking soda and salt. Add eggs one at a time. Add vanilla and coffee mixture. Slowly beat in cocoa powder and flour.
  • Cover and chill dough for at least one hour or until easy to handle.
  • Preheat oven to 350°F. Stir together sugar and cinnamon in a small bowl.
  • Shape dough into 1 ¼ inch balls, roll in sugar mixture and place onto baking sheets.
  • Bake for 10-12 minutes or until edges are set.
  • Let cookies stand for 1 minute on baking sheet before removing to a wire rack to cool.