Melt in Your Mouth Sugar Cookies

Last night, my mom hosted a wine exchange at our house. Yes, you heard it right, a WINE exchange. She invited some close friends and they played White Elephant with wine. It was such a fun spin on your traditional holiday party. I mean, who doesn't love wine?! I see this becoming an annual tradition. There were lots of laughs and it was so nice to enjoy everyone's company. After all, that's what the holidays are all about.

Now, having a wine exchange doesn't eliminate the need (yes, need) to have a cookie exchange party. It is merely the icing on the holiday exchange cake. Of course, every home needs to be filled with 12 dozen different types of cookies during the Christmas season. It's Christmas law, Santa told me.

Naturally, I made cookies for the wine exchange. Now, I didn't want to make anything too over the top,  because the wine was the star of the show last night. So, when I came across these Melt-In-Your-Mouth Sugar Cookies, I knew they'd be perfect. And boy, were they a hit! My cookie platter was wiped before the party even ended! That's a sure sign of a fabulous cookie.

When I was baking these goodies, I knew they'd be heavenly because the dough was so light and airy. I took a picture of said dough and this little cookie ball before baking and put them on Instagram. Don't they look divine?!

Real quick side note...have you followed me on Instagram (@tarheeltastebud) and Twitter (@TarHeelTB)?! If not, you should! You'll be surprised how much goes on outside this little blog.

Buuuttt, back to the dough. Goodness it was fluffy. I imagine it's what clouds are made of, but I'll get back to you on that. I chose to top some of these cookies with crushed candy canes and some with sprinkles. Both yielded fabulous results.

Once baked, the dough is still just as light and airy. The cookies really do melt in your mouth. They are sweet, but not too sweet, and they remind me of cookies I ate growing up. Simple, back to the basics sugar cookies that do not disappoint. So go ahead, whip up some of these, and enjoy (with a glass of vino)!

Melt-In-Your-Mouth Sugar Cookies
Recipe from A Pretty Life in the Suburbs
(makes about 5 dozen cookies)

• 1 cup butter, at room temperature
• 1 cup oil (canola or vegetable oil)
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 cup powdered sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1 tsp. vanilla
• 4 cups flour
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1 tsp. cream of tartar
• 1 tsp. baking soda
• sprinkles, for decorating

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Cream together the butter, oil and sugars.
3. Add the eggs, one at a time. Then add the vanilla. Mix until nice and fluffy.
4. In a separate bowl, combine the flour, salt, cream of tartar and baking soda.
5. Add the flour mix to the butter mix, and combine until fluffy.
6. Let the dough rest in the fridge for about 30 minutes or longer (mine sat overnight).
7. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
8. When ready to bake, drop the batter by the tablespoon onto the cookie sheet, about 2 inches apart. At this point, I sprinkled on some of my sugar sprinkles. Depending on the type of sprinkles you choose to decorate with, you can sprinkle them on before or after you bake your cookies. I found that mine stuck better before (I tried just waiting till after and the results weren't as good!)
9. Bake for 9-11 minutes, making sure not to let your cookies brown!
10. Let cool and enjoy!

The Ultimate Cookie Cup

After a busy week, I am finally back with a new recipe post! Phew!

On Fridays, after working all week, all I want to do is relax at home alllllll night with nothing to do. However, this past Friday the Olympics started (obviously - GO Team USA!) and I suddenly felt the urge to bake. Nothing like creating fattening treats to shovel down my throat while watching some of the most fit people waltz around my TV screen...HELP ME. 

I honestly wish I could be an Olympic athlete, but anyone who knows me realizes that this is clearly NOT possible. I have the coordination and athletic ability of a one-legged chicken. My parents even predicted my future athletic abilities at a young age...

3rd place...ugh.

While I may not ever participate in the Olympics (sigh), I will be spending every free moment I have until August 12th watching the games and I am THRILLED about this. This whole "once every four years" thing is such a tease...but makes it all the more exciting.

So I urge you all, as you too watch the Summer Olympics, to do it with one (or 5) of these Ultimate Cookie Cups in your hand. The recipe is insanely simple, all you need is pre-packaged cookie dough and peanut butter cups. You could opt to make your own dough if you like (1 tbsp. portions), but that may detract from your time spent staring at Ryan Lochte...

Enjoy these cookie cups and the 2012 Summer Olympics! Yahoo!

The Ultimate Cookie Cup (makes 24 cookie cups)

Recipe from Cookies and Cups

• 1 package Ready to Bake Sugar Cookie Dough (makes 24 cookies), room temperature
• 1 package Ready to Bake Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough (makes 24 cookies), room temperature
• 24 full-sized peanut butter cups

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Let your cookie dough sit out of the refrigerator for approximately 30 minutes. If it is room temperature, it will be easier to spread around your peanut butter cup.
3. Line a muffin tin with cupcake liners.
4. Place one portion of your sugar cookie dough on the bottom of the peanut butter cup, spreading completely over the bottom. Place one portion of your chocolate chip cookie dough on top of the peanut butter cup, spreading to cover top of the peanut butter cup. Make sure that the entire peanut butter cup is covered.
5. Place in liners and bake for 13-15 minutes.
6. Let cool in muffin pan for 10 minutes and then transfer to a wire cooling rack to continue cooling.

So easy - love it!

Try to avoid eating all of these before baking. It ain't easy...

Now cover the whole peanut butter cup!!

It's tempting to eat all 24 raw...believe me!!!

DEVOUR.