This year we are planning something really different for Valentines Day. We are going Wine tasting along River Road in Monterey County in an area called the Santa Lucia Mountains. I made my mom's Valentine Cake and dinner will be our wine finds plus rice pilaf and fresh Salmon from Monterey Bay.
Splendid Sugar Cookie Recipe
from cyberchef edited by Elsa from Food FUNdamentals, Salinas CA
INGREDIENTS
· 1 cup unsalted butter
· ¼ - 1/2 cup Splenda
· 2 large eggs
· 1 T. vanilla extract
· 2 2/3 cups flour
· 1 teaspoons baking powder
· 1/2 teaspoon salt
· 3/4 cup milk powder
· *optional – add 1 tsp cinnamon and ¼ tsp nutmeg –an old addition to sugar cookies
· 2 Tablespoons warm water if needed
DIRECTIONS
Cream the butter, and add eggs one at a time and vanilla extract. Add in the Splenda and continue to blend until evenly incorporated. (too much splenda can be bitter vs sweet for some individuals so be slow to add more)
Separately mix the flour, salt, baking powder and milk powder. In thirds, gently add in the dry flour mix into the creamed butter mixture.
Scrape the sides of the bowl and once all is evenly mixed, there should be a dough. If the mixture is still too dry, add in warm water one tablespoon at a time until the dough is more consistent.
Place dough on sheet of plastic wrap, wrap well and chill for about 30 minutes.
After chilling, roll dough out to 1/4 in thickness and cut out shapes.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and bake on parchment paper or greased cookie sheet for about 12-16 minutes. The bottoms of these cookies will brown slightly (browning occurs quickly, Spenda doesn’t brown well)
These cookies contain 18 count yeild, 149 kcal and 20 gms Carbohydrate
Finger Icing--Food FUNdamentals original: 2 cups powdered sugar and 1 tsp coloring and 1 T of milk, the mixture should be a good spreading consistency. For 2-3” cookies drop one teaspoon on the cookie and spread with a few strokes to cover the cookie. Over working the icing will cause a dull surface. Let dry in a single layer about 4-6 hours then the cookies can be stacked and stored in air tight containers at room temperature for about 3-6 days. This provides approximately 4 gms of Carbohydrate
Variation: Divide dough into 1” balls and roll in sugar and cinnamon then flatten with the bottom of a glass for a sugar free snicker doddle.
RECIPE BACKSTORY
These are delicious and perfect for Holiday decorating! Make icing with Splenda and pipe designs and messages to your family and friends Tips: Sprinkle Splenda through a sifter over the unbaked cookies for an extra bit of sweetness. This recipe was edited to use Splenda Granulated with 1 gram of fiber. Purchase one 1/4 inch round dowel at your hardware store and cut in half. Be sure to sand the ends then, clean off any debris. Use these dowels when you roll out the cookies. Place the dough between the dowels and roll out the dough until your rolling pin hits the dowels. Then, you're at 1/4 inch!! Or just make sure you roll out each batch the same thickness so they cook evenly. My regular sugar cookie recipe hales from my mom's 1954 Better Homes and Garden Pink Plaid Book....second favorite is from King Author Baking Book.I beleive in not messing with success.