Sugar Cookies for a Pirate Theme Party
Jenny Keller is a baker to the stars and you can see her work at jennyscookies.com. She excels at developing themes, just like her shipwrecked/pirate theme baked goods shown here. Her book, Eat More Dessert, is packed with party ideas like a Princess Tea Party, Ice Cream Shop, Down on the Farm theme and others. Here is her simple sugar cookie recipe.
Excerpted with permission. Eat More Dessert: More than 100 Simple-to-Make & Fun-to-Eat Baked Goods From the Baker to the Stars
This is the recipe that started it all and the one that will always be dearest to me. Every time I tell students in my cookie decorating class that these sugar cookies are fail-proof, they eye me suspiciously. But once they try it themselves, they agree: Anyone can make them, and everyone will love them.
- 3 cups (375 G) all-purpose flour, plus more for rolling
- 2 teaspoons aluminum-free baking powder
- 1 cup (225 G) salted butter (2 sticks), at room temperature (do not use margarine for this recipe; it tastes better with butter)
- 1 cup (200 G) granulated sugar
- 1 large egg
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 1 batch confectioners' sugar frosting
- Into a medium bowl, combine the flour and baking powder with a whisk. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, using an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment on medium speed, beat the butter and sugar for about 11⁄2 minutes, or until smooth. Beat in the egg and vanilla until well combined. Scrape the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula. Turn the mixer speed to low and carefully add the flour mixture a little at a time, occasionally stopping to scrape the sides of the bowl. Once all the flour has been incorporated, the dough should form a ball around the mixing attachment and feel soft but not sticky. Wrap the dough ball in a piece of plastic wrap and press down to form a 1-inch (2.5 cm)-thick disk. Refrigerate for at least 10 minutes before rolling or store for up to 7 days tightly wrapped.
- Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C).
- Roll out the dough on a lightly floured flat work surface to about 1⁄4-inch (6 mm) thickness, using additional flour as necessary to prevent sticking. Use cookie cutters to create desired shapes, and carefully transfer with a cookie spatula to a nonstick baking sheet, placing the cookies about 3⁄4 inch (2 cm) apart.
- Bake one sheet at a time in the middle of the oven for about 7-8 minutes, or until puffy. Allow the cookies to rest for 2 minutes on the baking sheet before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely. Continue rolling out the gathered scraps and remaining disk until all the dough has been used.
- Decorate the cookies with my buttercream frosting.
- While I’m waiting for my dough to chill in the refrigerator, I always regroup my kitchen. If you’ve ever been to my house, you’ll notice I’m constantly picking up. I have a hard time sitting down to relax if there’s a sink full of dishes. So when I’m baking, I clean as I go. Baking’s less stressful when you have a clean countertop to work from.
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