Sugar Cookies and how I started baking

There`s one thing I really want to say: Easter is almost here, I have plenty of free time to enjoy myself and , why not?, bake a lot. 

Have I ever told you how much I like sprinkles or any colorful candy on my desserts? If I could, I would top my Mac&Cheese with `em. Seriously, who doesn`t like sprinkles? Both children and adults can`t resist them.

Today, after my mom went to visit her friend, I decided to bake something. Something good. Something that reminds me of old times...Sugar Cookies.

They were the "start" of my baking addiction.

Two years ago (or three?) I was home alone, bored and browsing on the internet. At that time, I was a huge fan (and still am) of Joy of Baking. I discovered her video on how to make sugar cookies. Because the way she explained, her patient behavior and my instant crave for buttery vanilla cookies convinced me shake the dust off my mom`s baking pans. 

Of course, this result is a far cry from what I made at that time. Without knowing that the icing was too runny, with sugar granules in it, I dipped each cookie in that icing, which was a glaze actually. Of course it hardened and my cookies remained stuck to the serving plate, but the taste pleased my mom. And if mommy is pleased, so am I. She can be a damn excellent liar sometimes, so I baked them again. And burned the bottom, so I had to scrape the black spots off. 

However, I should say it was my mother`s lie that started this baking addiction. Since then, I kept seeking for dessert recipes to please people. There`s nothing like a "Mmm...that`s really good, may I have another one?". 

That feeling you get when you make people happy. You should be well aware of the fact that the way to someone`s heart is right through their stomach.  So if you want someone to fall for you, bake something. 

And by the way, I`m sorry I didn`t style the food properly or anything this time and that many pictures might look like each other. I made a photo test and I`m not disappointed with the results.

Besides these cookies, another thing I baked at the beginning of my obsession were Blondies...fancy stuff, I tell ya. Along with that recipe is another funny story, which I will tell you in the near future, when I`ll actually make those Blondies again, but my version. The first one I tried was Gordon Ramsay`s Blondies with cranberries. I will share that one with you once.

Apart from the fact that I ate about 5 already, it would be a lie to tell you they weren`t good as heck. Crispy, chewy, the right amount of sweetness. Even better than I remember it. :)

The dough is ready in a pinch and you really can`t go wrong with it. It`s so easy that even a baby could make it. Ok, not really, but it`s a super cool activity to do with the kids. I bet they`ll enjoy forming the dough into balls and eating it. Like I did. What? Cookie dough is good!

Last but not least, bake them for 12-15 minutes, let them rest 2 minutes on the baking sheet and dunk them in a glass of cold milk. What on earth could possibly be better than these and a good book? Nothing, I tell you.

Besides, don`t you dare to think I`ll leave them plain, like they are now, with a few sprinkles in them. No! I`m going to play around with the recipe and add Oreos, Snickers, Coconut, Lemon, Chocolate, Oatmeal and spices. Oh yes, things will get really serious with these, so stay tuned for more recipes, because I think I got the Cookie Flu.

Need I mention everybody liked them? I think such a statement is unnecessary.

I don`t know why, but I would love to get out of bed right now, albeit the late hour, and bake another batch, more decadent, loaded with chocolate and gooey salted caramel. Yum!

Ingredients:

120 gr. room temperature butter

1 and 1/2 cups of granulated white sugar

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/4 teaspoon almond extract

1 egg

2 and 3/4 cups white, all purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

2 teaspoons milk

colored sprinkles (optional)

Directions:

1.Preheat oven to 375 d F/180 d C, line a cookie sheet with parchment paper or spray it with non stick cooking spray. Set aside while you prepare the dough.

2.In a big bowl, cream the butter together with the sugar until sugar granules start to disappear and the mixture is light and fluffy. Beat in the egg and the two extracts (almond, vanilla) followed by the milk.

Lastly, mix in the flour, baking powder and baking soda. If you are using sprinkles, this is the time to gently incorporate them into the dough.

3. Take a heaping teaspoon of dough and form it into a ball. Continue like this until you run out of dough, placing the dough balls 1-2 inches/3-5 cm apart, because they will spread a bit while baking.

4.Finally, bake them in the preheated oven for 12-15 minutes or until you see that the edges are beginning to brown. Take them out, leave them to cool a bit in the pan and serve with a cold glass of milk.

Enjoy! These are so good that it`s impossible to eat just one.