As a kid, my favorite holiday cookies were among the sweetest. I always gravitated toward sugar cookies and peanut butter blossoms, which I still love. But, my tastes have definitely matured since then. I now find myself reaching for cookies that aren’t quite as sweet during the holidays. My favorites are those that let simple, high-quality ingredients shine.

My mom started making this lemon pistachio biscotti when I was a kid. While it wasn’t my favorite cookie growing up, it definitely is as an adult. I’m a big fan of lemon in just about everything, and the addition of pistachios gives this biscotti a rich, nutty flavor. I like to dip the biscotti in white chocolate around the holidays, which makes for a beautiful presentation.

Biscotti is also among the easiest types of cookies to make. It’s supposed to be dry, which makes it foolproof. The cookies are also pretty durable, which makes them great hostess or office gifts.

I like to double this recipe, then throw half of the biscotti in the freezer to have on hand when we’re hosting guests. They’re great to pull out in the afternoon to enjoy with coffee.

[ingredients title=”Ingredients”]

• 2 1/2 cups flour
• 1 cup suggar
• 1/2 tsp. baking powder
• 1/2 tsp. baking soda
• 1/4 tsp. freshly-ground black pepper
• 1/4 tsp. kosher salt
• 1 Tbsp. lemon zest (from about one lemon)
• 4 Tbsp. freshly-squeezed lemon juice (from about one lemon)
• 3 large eggs
• 1 cup roasted pistachios, crushed
• 1/2 cup powdered sugar
• 1 cup white chocolate chips

[/ingredients]

[directions title=”Directions”]

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
2. In a large bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, pepper and salt. Set aside.
3. In a small bowl, whisk together eggs, lemon zest and lemon juice. Add lemon mixture and pistachios to the bowl of dry ingredients. Stir until combined and a stiff dough forms.
4. Spread the powdered sugar on a clean work surface and place the dough on top. Divide the dough into four equal portions. Roll each piece into a log, about 1-inch in width. Place two logs each on cookie sheets lined with parchment paper, making sure the logs are at least two inches apart. Bake for 15 minutes, until the cookies feel firm. Place the cookie sheets on a cooling rack and lower the oven temperature to 300 degrees.
5. Once the cookie logs are cool to the touch, use a serrated knife to cut the logs into 1/2-inch thick, diagonal slices. Place the biscotti back on the cookie sheets and bake for an additional 13-15 minutes, until slightly browned and dry. Place on a cooling rack to bring down to room temperature.
6. While biscotti cools, place chocolate chips in a microwave-safe bowl and microwave on high for 30 seconds. Stir chocolate chips, then continue microwaving at 15-second increments until the chocolate is just melted. Dip each piece of biscotti in the white chocolate, so that half of each piece is covered.

[/directions]

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I’ve been baking nonstop the past few days in preparation for our annual cookie and craft beer exchange that’s coming up this weekend. Everyone brings a dozen cookies or a six pack of beer and we spend the night sampling everything. We look forward to it all year!

I like to bake all of my holiday cookies at once. That way I can throw them in the freezer and pull some out throughout the season, when we have guests or are headed to a party. It makes life so much easier! I’m nearing the end of my baking list and, while I love spending time in the kitchen, I’ll be so glad to be done with the dishes that come along with it.

This year I decided to add an old family recipe to my list of cookies to bake. My grandmother Barb was famous for the bourbon balls she made every Christmas. They were off limits as a kid, which meant I snuck a couple when the adults weren’t looking. I certainly couldn’t appreciate their taste back then! But, as a bourbon-loving adult, these are now among my favorite holiday treats.

I love how easily these cookies come together — you don’t even have to turn the oven on! That does mean they pack a punch, so be sure to warn your guests when you offer these up. The bourbon balls are pretty rich, thanks to the powdered sugar, cocoa and pecans.

You don’t have to use top-shelf liquor in this recipe. But, the higher-quality booze you choose, the better these will taste! If you’re not a bourbon fan, you can also substitute rum or brandy.

What are you baking for the holidays?

Bourbon Balls

[ingredients title=”Ingredients”]

• 1 cup crushed vanilla wafers
• 1 cup powdered sugar
• 1 cup chopped pecans
• 2 Tbsp. cocoa
• 2 Tbsp. light corn syrup or honey
• 1/4 cup bourbon
• 1/2 cup granualted sugar

[/ingredients]

[directions title=”Directions”]

1. In a large bowl, whisk together vanilla wafers, powdered sugar, pecans and cocoa until combined. Add corn syrup and bourbon to the mixture and mix well.
2. Wet your hands, then carefully roll the batter into 1-inch balls, rewetting your hands as needed. Roll each ball in granulated sugar. Store in an airtight container at room temperature or in the fridge.
   [/directions]

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I am so over this crazy hot weather! It’s October and topping 80 degrees, which just feels wrong. I’m ready for boots, sweaters, bonfires and all the delicious seasonal eats. I naturally find myself baking a lot more during the fall, but that hasn’t happened yet because of the nonstop heat. Bring on the crisp, cool fall days!

I couldn’t totally resist turning on the oven the past couple of weeks because I started to see so many pumpkin and apple goodies popping up at stores and bakeries around town. It made me want to create some of my own! As a result, I’ve made far too many batches of cookies in pursuit of the perfect pumpkin chocolate chip version. I’ve always loved the combination of pumpkin and chocolate, but found one of the flavors always overshadowed the other in most recipes. So, I started experimenting and used my beloved banana cookies as inspiration. I wanted the pumpkin cookies to have a similar, cake-like texture.

The first cookies I made were a little too dense and you could barely taste the pumpkin. The second batch had a better texture, but still not enough pumpkin flavor. So, I kept messing with the spice variations and increasing the amount of pumpkin puree and finally found a cookie that was just what I wanted. It doesn’t taste like you’re eating a scented candle when you bite into these and the semisweet chocolate chips complement instead of overwhelm the pumpkin flavor. I gave a couple dozen to my husband so he could share them with his co-workers and they were gone within minutes, which is always a good sign.

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies

[ingredients title=”Ingredients”]

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
• 1/4 tsp. baking soda
• 1/4 tsp. kosher salt
• 3/4 tsp. ground cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp. cloves
• 1/4 tsp. nutmeg
• 1 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup butter, softened to room temperature
• 2 eggs
• 1 Tbsp. plain Greek yogurt
• 1 tsp. vanilla
• 1 cup pumpkin puree
• 12 oz. semisweet chocolate chips

[/ingredients]

[directions title=”Directions”]

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees and line a large cookie sheet with parchment paper. Set cookie sheet aside.
2. In a large bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, cloves and nutmeg until just combined.
3. In the large bowl of an electric mixer, cream sugar and butter together on medium speed until light and fluffy, about three minutes. Add eggs, yogurt, vanilla and pumpkin to bowl and mix on medium until smooth.
4. Turn mixer speed down to low and slowly add flour mixture to bowl, scraping down the sides as needed. Mix until just combined then slowly stir in chocolate chips.
5. Use a cookie scoop or spoon to drop Tablespoons of cookie dough onto the parchment-paper covered cookie sheet, leaving 2 inches between each cookie. Place cookie sheet on the center oven rack and bake for 10 to 12 minutes, until cookies are set and just starting to turn golden on the bottoms.
6. Use a spatula to carefully remove cookies from sheet and place on a cooling rack. Repeat process until cookie dough is gone. Allow cookies to cool to room temperature before storing in an airtight container.

[/directions]

The post Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies appeared first on The Broadcasting Baker.

My love for zucchini is bordering on out of control this year. We aren’t growing any of our own this summer (I plan to change that next year), but I keep buying five or six when we are at the farmers’ market every week. I love zucchini because of how versatile it can be. Throwing together zucchini noodles with meatballs makes for an easy weeknight meal. And, I find myself adding grated zucchini to everything from turkey burgers to chocolate cakes, which helps keep whatever I’m making perfectly moist. We have no problem using up our entire supply every week.

I’d been brainstorming ideas for a lightened-up lemon loaf when this recipe idea popped in my head. Why not throw some zucchini into the mix? The result is a delicate, soft bread that’s not sickeningly sweet. A slice is delicious on its own, but I’m dreaming of drizzling my next loaf with a lavender glaze for an impressive, yet effortless, summer dessert.

I will caution you, the ingredients make this loaf very delicate — especially when warm. Avoid handling it too much until it cools completely and sits in the fridge for a couple of hours.

Now send me your favorite zucchini recipes! I’m on a roll.

Gluten-Free Lemon Zucchini Bread

[ingredients title=”Ingredients”]

• 2 cups almond flour
• 1/4 cup coconut flour
• 1/2 cup coconut sugar
• 1/4 cup honey
• 2 tsp. baking powder
• 1/2 tsp. kosher salt
• 2 eggs, lightly beaten
• 1 cup nonfat greek yogurt
• Zest and juice of 1 large lemon
• 2 cups grated zucchini (about one large)
• 1 tsp. vanilla

[/ingredients]

[directions title=”Directions”]

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a loaf pan with non-stick cooking spray or butter.
2. In a large bowl, stir together dry ingredients until well-mixed.
3. In a separate, large bowl, whisk together eggs, yogurt, lemon zest, lemon juice, zucchini and vanilla. Carefully pour wet mixture into bowl holding dry ingredients. Use a rubber spatula to stir until just combined. Pour batter into loaf pan and bake for 45 to 50 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center of the loaf comes out clean.
4. Allow bread to cool in loaf pan for at least 20 minutes before running a knife around the edges of the pan and carefully inverting the loaf onto a cooling rack. Cool completely to room temperature, then place in fridge for at least two hours before slicing and serving. Store in fridge.

[/directions]

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One of my favorite foods of the season is zucchini. The summer squash is so versatile — I love using it as a base for pasta sauce or adding it to my favorite meatloaf. The water in zucchini lends perfect moisture to dishes, which also makes it great for baking.

My husband looked at me a little funny when he saw me grating zucchini to throw into my chocolate cake batter last night. “What are you doing with that cucumber?” he asked. I couldn’t stop laughing! He has no interest in tasting this chocolate cake after seeing what went into it, but I promise — as long as they didn’t watch you make it — no one will know zucchini is the secret ingredient to this delicious dessert.

I’ve been experimenting with different sugars and flours lately and I’ve fallen in love with coconut sugar. Coconut sugar is made from the sap of the coconut palm tree and, despite its name, has no coconut flavor whatsoever. The taste is more reminiscent of caramel, similar to conventional brown sugar. You use brown sugar in this recipe if you don’t have coconut sugar on hand.

If you’ve got a garden that’s bursting with zucchini, this is a great way to use some of the squash up. This cake also freezes beautifully!

Chocolate Zucchini Cake

[ingredients title=”Ingredients”]

• 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/4 cup cocoa powder
• 1 1/2 cups coconut sugar
• 2 tsp. baking soda
• 1 tsp. salt
• 2 cups zucchini, grated
• 3 eggs, lightly beaten
• 2 tsp. pure vanilla extract
• 1 cup unsweetened applesauce
• 1/2 cup dark chocolate chunks or chips
• 1 cup milk chocolate chips

[/ingredients]

[directions title=”Directions”]

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Use butter or coconut oil to grease a glass 13 x 9 baking pan.
2. In a large bowl, whisk together flour, cocoa powder, sugar, baking soda and salt until combined. Set aside.
3. In a separate, medium bowl, stir together zucchini, eggs, vanilla and applesauce until combined. Carefully add zucchini mixture to dry ingredients and stir until just combined. Use a rubber spatula to fold in 1/2 cup dark chocolate chips. Pour batter into greased pan, smoothing it out using a rubber spatula.
4. Bake cake for 35 to 40 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Remove cake from oven and place on top of a cooling rack.
5. While cake cools, place 1 cup chocolate chips in a medium, microwave-safe bowl. Heat on high for 10 seconds, then remove from microwave and stir. Repeat this process at 10-second increments until chocolate is melted and smooth. Use a spoon to drizzle melted chocolate all over cake. Allow cake to cool completely before serving.

[/directions]

The post Chocolate Zucchini Cake appeared first on The Broadcasting Baker.

There are some bites that just stick with you. Foods you try for the first time that you’ll never forget. Once you’ve had a taste, you can’t imagine a world where something so delicious doesn’t exist. Texas sheet cake is one of those foods for me.

The first time I had it was when my Grandpa Les’ friend/ex-wife/girlfriend (it was complicated) Miss Hal brought some over to a family gathering. Every time we traveled south to see my grandpa in Arkansas, he would have a beef or pork roast waiting for dinner, but there was rarely dessert. Hal changed that when she was around. She almost always made a classic Texas Sheet Cake, which is a rich, chocolate dessert that’s somewhere between a cake and a brownie. I’d never tasted anything like it before. The frosting and the cake itself practically melted in your mouth. It wasn’t a dessert anyone in our family made, so I treasured every bite when Hal brought over one of those warm cakes.

As delicious as her chocolate version was, I think white Texas sheet cake is even better. I didn’t know it existed until I got into baking and college and started perusing the Internet for a recipe to help me recreate Hal’s famous dessert. I settled instead on the vanilla-almond version and fell in love with the simple cake all over again.

I make birthday cakes for everyone in our newsroom and, when a birthday came up this past week, several people in the newsroom requested this cake. It’s become my most popular recipe.

The beauty of Texas sheet cakes is they’re pretty foolproof. You don’t have to mess with layers and you actually have to frost the cake when it’s warm, so it comes together quickly. The biggest problem you’ll have? Only eating one piece.

White Texas Sheet Cake

[ingredients title=”Ingredients”]

Cake

• 2 cups flour
• 2 cups sugar
• 1/2 cup sour cream
• 2 eggs, lightly beaten
• 1 tsp. baking soda
• 1 tsp. almond extract
• 1 cup water
• 1 cup unsalted butter

Frosting

• 1/2 cup butter
• 1/4 cup milk
• 4 1/2 cups powdered sugar
• 1/2 tsp. almond extract

[/ingredients]

[directions title=”Directions”]

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter and flour a 10.5 by 15.5-inch jelly roll pan.
2. In the large bowl of an electric mixer, combine flour, sugar, sour cream, eggs, baking soda and almond extract. Set aside.
3. Use a medium pan to melt one cup butter over medium heat. Once butter is melted, add water and bring to a boil. Remove from heat and carefully pour into flour mixture. Stir slowly with an electric mixer until smooth. Pour batter into jelly roll pan and bake for 18 to 20 minutes, until cake is set and slightly golden. Remove from oven and set aside.
4. To make frosting, melt 1/2 cup butter in a large pan. Once butter is melted, add milk and bring to a boil. Remove from heat and whisk in powdered sugar and almond extract until smooth. Pour frosting over warm cake and use an offset spatula to quickly spread over the entire surface. Let cake cool completely before covering and storing in the fridge.

[/directions]

The post White Texas Sheet Cake appeared first on The Broadcasting Baker.

How was your weekend, friends? Ours was pretty laid back and consisted of a movie night at home, lots of errand running and a fun night out to celebrate our friends’ wedding. I’m looking forward to having a three-day weekend for James’ birthday in April because Saturday and Sunday always go by way too quickly!

As Im getting ready for the work week to start, I always try to make sure our pantry and fridge are stocked with a couple different healthy breakfast options. James has been on a major granola kick the past couple of months, which means we’ve been buying two or three boxes a week. Even when buying in bulk, it’s much more cost effective to make your own batch of granola. You can control the mix-ins and the sugar content, which is a big benefit. One of the reasons granola tastes so good is it’s often loaded with sugar.

I skip the refined sugars in this recipe and instead use honey to give the granola its sweetness. And, is there a more perfect combination than peanut butter and strawberries? I think not.

Granola is ridiculously easy to make, so save yourself some money and take 15 minutes to throw a batch together. If your family eats granola everyday, double this batch to make sure it lasts you through the week.

PB&J Granola

[ingredients title=”Ingredients”]

• 1/2 cup natural creamy peanut butter
• 2 Tbsp. coconut oil
• 1/4 cup honey
• 1/2 tsp. cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp. pure vanilla extract
• 2 cups old-fashioned oats
• 1/2 cup freeze-dried strawberries

[/ingredients]

[directions title=”Directions”]

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
2. Place peanut butter, coconut oil and honey in a large, microwave-safe bowl. Microwave on high for 30 seconds, until peanut butter just starts to melt. Stir mixture with a rubber spatula until smooth. Add cinnamon, vanilla and oats and stir until oats are coated in peanut butter mixture.
3. Spread granola evenly across baking sheet and bake for 10 to 15 minutes, until golden brown, flipping granola halfway through.
4. Remove granola from oven and stir in strawberries. Allow granola to cool completely before storing in an airtight container.
   [/directions]

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These cookies helped me win my husband over. He doesn’t request baked goods often but, when he does, he always asks for banana cookies. My mom brought them over while visiting when we were still living in South Bend and he’s been hooked ever since. I’m totally OK with it — because they’re my favorite cookie, too.

This recipe is foolproof. I’ve made it dozens of times and the cookies always turn out perfectly. They’re super soft, super easy, and super addicting. I think the banana that you include in the frosting is what makes these cookies a winner. I’ve used the same glaze on banana bread and chocolate cakes and it just makes everything taste amazing. It’s also delicious eaten by the spoonful — not that I’m speaking from experience …

Any time I take these into the office or to a party, people immediately ask for the recipe. These cookies are a crowd pleaser and I think it’s because they’re so different than old standbys like chocolate chip and sugar cookies. They’re delightfully different.

These cookies freeze beautifully, which means we often have some stashed away for emergencies (AKA Mondays). It’s a trick I learned from my mom, who always keeps a batch in her freezer to have handy when she’s hosting company or heading to a party.

But, be warned. Even if you freeze a batch of these cookies, they’ll quickly go missing.

The Best Banana Cookies

Cookies

[ingredients title=”Ingredients”]

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
• 1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp. baking soda
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 1/4 tsp. ground cloves
• 1/2 cup butter, softened to room temperature
• 1 cup sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1/2 tsp. vanilla
• 2 medium bananas, mashed (the browner, the better)
  [/ingredients]

Frosting

[ingredients title=”Ingredients”]

• 2 cups powdered sugar, sifted
• 1/4 cup mashed banana
• 2 Tbsp. butter, softened to room temperature
• 1/2 tsp. vanilla
  [/ingredients]

[directions title=”Directions”]

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
2. In a large mixing bowl, stir together flour, baking powder, cinnamon, baking soda, salt and ground cloves until combined. Set aside.
3. In a large bowl, use a mixer on medium speed to beat butter for 30 seconds. Add sugar and continue beating until fluffy.
4. Add eggs and vanilla, beating until combined.
5. Alternate adding half of the dry ingredients and half of the mashed banana to the butter mixture. Beat until combined.
6. Drop teaspoons of batter onto greased cookie sheets, making sure to space cookies about two inches apart.
7. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes, until golden brown.
8. While cookies cool, use a mixer to combine powdered sugar, banana, butter and vanilla. Beat until smooth.
9. Once cookies are completely cooled, spread a thin layer of frosting over each one.
   [/directions]

The post The Best Banana Cookies appeared first on The Broadcasting Baker.

Happy Monday, all! How was your weekend? My parents were supposed to come visit, but the wicked ice storm north of us forced them to cancel their trip. That meant we had an entire weekend with no plans, which never happens. It’s been amazing! We’ve had a good balance of running errands and relaxing at home. And, we both have today off for MLK Day. What a treat!

It was gray and rainy all weekend, which is perfect baking weather. I’ve been trying to develop a healthier banana bread recipe for weeks and I finally came up with a real winner. I experimented with different combinations of fats to try and come up with a loaf  that tastes like traditional banana bread but cuts down on the refined sugars.

There’s something especially cozy about banana bread. It makes the kitchen smell amazing and it tastes like home. My parents made banana bread quite often when I was growing up and it’s always been one of my favorite treats. I’ll be making it a lot more often now that I have this healthier recipe.

This is a great way to use up bananas that are on their last legs and it’s It’s so easy to throw together, even if you aren’t a big fan of baking. A loaf of banana bread also makes a great hostess gift if you’re visiting someone for a weekend. I included some dark chocolate in this recipe, but it can easily be omitted. Enjoy!

Healthy Almond Butter Banana Bread

[ingredients title=”Ingredients”]

• 2 cups whole wheat pastry flour
• 1 tsp. baking soda
• 3 bananas, mashed (the more brown, the better)
• 2 eggs, lightly beaten
• 2 Tbsp. unsweetened almond milk
• 1/3 cup natural almond butter
• 1/3 cup honey
• 1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt
• 1 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil or coconut oil
• 1 tsp. vanilla
• 1 cup dark chocolate chips or chunks

[/ingredients]

[directions title=”Directions”]

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. In a large bowl, whisk together flour and baking soda. Set aside.
3. In a medium bowl, mix together bananas, eggs, almond milk, almond butter, honey, Greek yogurt, olive oil and vanilla. Stir until combined. Add banana mixture to flour mixture and stir until combined. Gently fold in dark chocolate.
4. Pour batter into a lightly greased loaf pan and bake on the middle oven rack for 40 to 45 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the middle of the loaf comes out clean. Cool loaf in pan for 15 minutes before removing it from pan. Serve warm. Allow loaf to cool completely before storing.

[/directions]

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As I plow through my list of holiday baking, cookies keep disappearing from the freezer. And it’s these almond sugar cookies that James seems to like most. We made a batch for our Christmas cookie and craft beer exchange last week and stashed extras in the freezer to enjoy when our families come to visit later this month. I don’t know if these cookies will make it that long!

Christmas just isn’t the same without hand-decorated sugar cookies. My mom made them when we were growing up and my brother and I always had a blast helping decorate with frosting and sprinkles. That’s still my favorite part! James and I teamed up to frost these while watching Christmas Vacation and it definitely put us in the holiday spirit.

Unlike many of the recipes I gravitate towards during the holidays, this one didn’t come from my family. A friend gave me this recipe about five years ago and I haven’t made another sugar cookie since. I’ve never been a huge fan of how cut-out cookies taste, but these are amazing. I love any almond-flavored baked good and the extract helps give these cookies a richer flavor profile.

When I want the cookies to look perfect, I frost them using a classic royal icing. They always look impressive, but nothing tastes better than homemade buttercream. I’ve opted for taste over presentation the past couple of years and have absolutely no regrets.

If you bake a batch of these, I suggest asking your neighbor to stick the extras in their freezer — otherwise they’ll quickly disappear!

Almond Cut-out Cookies with Almond Buttercream Frosting

[ingredients title=”Cookies Ingredients”]

• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 tsp. baking powder
• 2 sticks unsalted butter, cold and cut into pieces
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 egg
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract
• 1/2 tsp. almond extract
  [/ingredients]

[ingredients title=”Frosting Ingredients”]

• 2 cups unsalted butter, softened
• 8 cups powdered sugar, sifted
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract
• 1 tsp. almond extract
• gel food coloring of your choice

[/ingredients]

[directions title=”Directions”]

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside.
2. In a large bowl, whisk together flour and baking powder. Set aside.
3. Using an electric mixer on high speed, cream together butter and sugar in a large bowl until light and fluffy. Add egg and extracts and beat until just combined, being sure to scrape down the sides of the bowl.
4. Slowly pour in half of the flour mixture and stir until combined. Repeat with remaining flour and stir until just combined and crumbly.
5. Pour dough out onto a clean, lightly-floured surface and knead with hands until dough bits come together. Use a lightly-floured rolling pin to roll dough out evenly until it’s about 1/4 inch thick. Cut cookies out using cookie cutters and transfer to the baking sheet, leaving about two inches between each cookie. Combine leftover dough and roll out to cut out more cookies. Repeat the process until you run out of dough.
6. Placing one cookie sheet in the oven at a time, bake cookies on the middle oven rack until the bottom edges just start to turn golden, about 10 to 12 minutes. Remove cookies from oven and let sit on baking sheet for two minutes before transferring to a wire cooling rack. Cool completely before frosting.
7. To make frosting, combine butter, powdered sugar, milk and extracts in the large bowl of an electric mixer and beat on medium until smooth. Use a couple drops of gel food coloring to tint the frosting, stirring rapidly to make it easier to spread. Frost cookies using icing spatulas and decorative pastry tips.
   [/directions]

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