Friends and Cookies

Good afternoon, dear friends!

The first day of October….aaaaaaahhhhh!  My favorite time of the year…I love the fall and all it brings…such a beautiful time filled with holidays, cozy, candlelit homes, friends & family.

Just a few things to share with you today…

I made a couple of cards yesterday just to have on hand when needed…you never know when a friend might need a little something, do you?

First:

I love this beautiful collage image from Crafty Secrets’ new “Little Blessings” Creative Scraps…

…so many sweet & inspirational images in this set…

…and look at this gorgeous vintage button that was in a collection I bought a while back…such gorgeous detail!

Next:

Another image from the “Little Blessings” Creative Scraps…this one reminded me so much of cards and images I had in books when I was a little girl…so sweet!

…just a touch of sparkle on water and roses with Dazzling Diamonds…a bit of framing with platinum Stickles…some lace, ribbon and paper roses…I love to deepen their color & glitz them up with a little “Cherub Pink” Glimmer Mist…

Now, when a friend needs cheering up, what better to take along with a card than some amazing cookies???  These are just the ones to do the trick, my friends—perfect for the first day of Autumn!

 

Soft Maple Sugar Cookies!  Oh, my!  These were gone in a flash, I have to tell you!  We love real maple at our house, and these couldn’t have been more mapley delicious!

Here’s the recipe, found in the new Better Homes and Gardens “Christmas Cookies” magazine—I wait for this so very excitedly each & every year"!

 

Soft Maple Sugar Cookies

1/2 cup butter, softened

1/2 cup shortening

1 1/2 cups sugar

1/4 cup packed brown sugar

1/4 cup pure maple syrup (no Aunt Jemima stuff, now!  Only the real thing, ladies!  Also—I added a bit more—wanted to be sure it was good and mapley!)

1 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. cream of tartar

1/8 tsp. salt

3 egg yolks

1/2 tsp. vanilla

1 3/4 cups flour

Preheat oven to 300 degrees.  In a large bowl, combine butter and shortening.  Beat with an electric mixer on medium to high speed for 30 seconds.  Add sugar, brown sugar, maple syrup, baking soda, cream of tartar, and salt.  Beat until combined, scraping bowl occasionally.  Beat in egg yolks and vanilla until combined.  Beat in as much of the flour as you can with the mixer.  Using a wooden spoon, stir in any remaining flour.

Shape dough in to 1-inch balls.  Place balls 2 inches apart on an ungreased cookie sheet.

Bake in preheated oven for 12 to 14 minutes (I did 12) or until edges are lightly browned.  Cool on cookie sheet for 2 minutes (they’re super soft right out of the oven!) Transfer to a wire rack; cool.  (Centers will dip as cookies cool.)  Drizzle with Maple Icing.  Makes about 48 cookies.

Maple Icing

In a medium bowl, stir together 1/4 cup whipping cream or milk, 1/4 cup melted butter, and 3 Tbsp. pure maple syrup.  Whisk in 3 to 4 cups powdered sugar to make an icing of drizzling consistency.

Enjoy!

Well, that’s it for me today…off to finish working on my family album, which I’ll share next time…

Happy Fall!

Julie

LiveJournal Tags: Crafty Secrets,Friends,Soft Maple Sugar Cookies