Today is Texas Independence Day. Did you know? Do you care? You should. Anyway, in the tradition set forth by my mother, last year I found a Texas-shaped cookie cutter and started making Texas cookies to celebrate this momentous day is Texas history. You know, that day the white settlers decided they would take Texas from Mexico? Yes, that one.
So, because I took Wednesday off from Crossfit (taking a mid-week break helps keep me from dying) I went to the grocery store that night to get ingredients to make the actual sugar cookie recipe for cut-out shapes. For those of you who weren’t around last year, I used store bought cookie dough and ended up with some fugly cookies. Remember when?
So this year I found a cut-out specific recipe, made it from scratch, and made sure that dough was cold. Sadly I had the exact same problem again. At this point, it’s clear that I just suck at sugar cookies. Thankfully, I remembered the sneaky trick Paula taught me last year and my cookies were saved:
Please excuse my janky fingernail, I got a little sloppy with the food coloring. While reviewing the comments and suggestions from last year’s mess, I read Elizabeth Dean’s suggestion to use royal icing. Before this I had never ventured down the royal icing path because, frankly, it terrified me. But I decided to give it a go and if it was a disaster (as most things in the kitchen tend to be for me) I could just dip them in chocolate. So while buying cookie ingredients, I bought royal icing supplies. I used this tutorial and decided I was going to make the icing really quickly before I went to Crossfit. Unfortunately, I didn’t realize I had to sift the powdered sugar (for about 30 minutes apparently), so about halfway through I had to quit and leave. I hate sifting. And my sifter is about 37 years old and hurts my hand. It also got powdered sugar everywhere and my kitchen still looks like a party at Lindsay Lohan’s.
Yeesh. Anyway I wanted to make them fancy style and decorate them to look like the Texas flag. But then I remembered I suck at all things artsy and just went with singular colors on each one. Much easier. They are still pretty jank looking, but they are good enough for me.
So the point is, I went to the earlier Crossfit session last night and then spent about four hours icing cookies and cleaning up. So I went to bed late and woke up too late to find 15 things to drivel on about, so you get a story about my lackluster kitchen skills. You are welcome. Oh and I only ate one cookie because I legitimately needed to make sure they didn’t taste like belly button lint. I was worried. Thankfully they are good, even if they are hideous.
Oh and Snooki is allegedly pregnant.
Enjoy having terrifying nightmares about the future of humanity this weekend.
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Nice job on the cookies Cely!
Independance day? Mexico? Seriously? That’s an insult to Mexicans.
How so? That’s what happened. Mexico owned Texas and the settlers declared independence and started war. Same as the continentals declaring independence from Britain.
I am messing with you! :-) LOVE the cookies!!!
Love the cookies & Texas is the best country in the nation!
“You may all go to Hell and I will go to Texas.” -Davy Crockett
Independance from Mexico? Seriously? That’s an insult to Mexicans.
Happy texas independence day! Have a great weekend.
Happy Independence day! And ship some of those cookies to Ohio please!!
I also have problems making sugar cookies! They *sound* like such an easy cookie but that’s just false advertising. And btw–you shouldn’t have to sift your powdered sugar for royal icing. I mean, you’re probably supposed to but I make it for my Christmas cookie every year and never sift the sugar.
Well that is good to know. Since it was my first time I wanted to make sure I didn’t screw it up, but next time I will definitely try without sifting!
I never sift my sugar either. The whole process still takes a long, long time but no sifting necessary!
I too suck at making cookies.
If that baby doesn’t come out bright orange, I call bullshit on her boyfriend being the dad.
The cookies look great! This is coming from someone who spoons canned frosting into a ziploc then cuts off the corner to make a “pastry bag”. :)
Wait. Something is wrong with that? I do that too, I thought I was being fancy. Damn.
oh, it’s fancy.
But royal icing is straight up GOURMET. Nicely done!
Random, but the red cookie in the bottom right corner totally looks like a dinosaur nibbling on the cookie in front of it. No? Just me? Okay then..
That is so perfect! I stared at that for about 10 minutes this morning trying to figure out why that looked so damn weird. I like the way your mind works.
Hilarious! As a native Texan, I would say that many of us still believe that Texas is a country! Thanks for the Friday humor!
A co-worker bought a sugar cookie mix from Costco and brought Valentine cookies last month. Normally I think cookies from a mix taste like the box they were poured from, but these were the best cookies ever! Driving to Costco and purchasing said mix is my new sugar cookie recipe.
Snooki’s reproducing? The zombie apocalypse is less frightening.
I give you serious kudos, m’lady. If *that* is a poorly executed icing job…. well, then I am a sore excuse for a baker and should never again attempt it. Cause, to me, those look fancy as hale
Well, there is a reason that the picture is from quite a distance. I used a weird tip for the outline and it looks funky.
Happy Texas Independence Day! I made chocolate chip oatmeal cookies in the shape of Texas! People in the office are very excited about them but they sure were a bitch to make. I mean, the dough just wanted to expand, kind of like our great state! Anyway, happy Friday!
Hee! As I was reading this, I was thinking…didn’t she do that same thing last year? Yes. Yes she did.
I would say nice job on the cookies, but more like…nice job only eating one. Sounds like your avoiding the sugar like a champ!
God blessed Texas with his own hands. Brought down angels from the promise land. He gave them a place where they could dance. If you wanna see heaven, brothers heres your chance. I’ve been sent to spread the message……. mmm god blessed Texas.
Frosted sugar cookies are quite possibly my favorite food but since they are an absolute pain in the arse to make, I save them for Christmas only…I love your Texas cookie cutter though, so cute! Have a great weekend! xoxo
Well done on the cookies. Much better than I could have done! And is Giani the alleged father?
I have never tried Royal Icing. I don’t think I have the patience required. But you did a great job! And I bet that tasted pretty good, too.
Your cookies look pretty good to me! Nice! I feel like I should try crossfit but I’m genuinely scared…
Give it a shot! Believe me I’m the weakest and whiniest person ever and I can do it. Try out a few gyms if possible. No one should ever make you do something you can’t and your workout should always be scaled to your ability. It’s challenging but actually kind of fun. And no one is ever puking or dying at my gym. I know it I intimidating, but I bet you will love it!!
Thanks for the link-up and how did they taste? I thought the cut out came out very, very well. Did the icing taste good? I like royal icing, myself.
The icing was soooooo good! I could have happily drowned and died in it. Thanks for the suggestion I’m excited to try it again! And eat more of it!
Happy Texas Independence Day, Cely! Those cookies look so cute! Love the colored icing!
Man, what is the DEAL with sugar cookies. They seem like they should be the easiest ones but I have never yet made any that looked like anything but weird blobs with no flavor.