A good cookie needs good dough.  For snowflake cookies, the best choices are sugar or gingerbread dough.  You can use your own favorite recipes or get started with this one from Chef Paula Deen.

You'll need:

• 1 cup butter, softened  (note: some people prefer to use 4 ounces of butter and 4 ounces of shortening to create more crisp shapes and lines, especially for cookies with cut-outs).
• 1 cup sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon almond extract
• 3 ¼ cups flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• ½ teaspoon salt

To make:

1. Beat butter and sugar until fluffy.
2. Beat in eggs and vanilla and almond extracts.
3. In another bowl, combine flour, baking powder, and salt.  To this, gradually add the sugar mixture until smooth.
4. Wrap the dough in heavy-duty plastic wrap. Refrigerate for one hour.
5. In the meantime, preheat your oven to 350º and line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
6. After the dough as chilled, roll the dough out on a floured surface. Aim for a thickness of ¼ inch.
7. Cut with your snowflake cookie cutters and place on cookie sheet.
8. Chill them for another 15 minutes so they do not spread and become misshapen.
9. Bake for 10 minutes or until the edges are golden.
10. Let cool for a few minutes and then transfer to a wire rack or plate to cool.

Now that you've taken care of business, you get to have fun.  The decorating is always the best part, and you can use your imagination to create customized cookies.  You can drizzle or ice your sugar or gingerbread cookies with royal icing and enjoy or you can try your hand at decorating.

Before you get started, here are some handy items to have:

• White, pale blue, and/or silver sprinkles.
• White, pale blue, and/or silver sanding sugar or metallic luster dust.
• White, pale blue, and/or silver edible pearls and other fun decorations.
• Piping bag and small tip.
• Squeeze bottle (like a condiment bottle, available at craft stores).

To decorate, you'll need royal icing.  You can find countless recipes online, so find one you like and whip up a batch.  You want the consistency to be stiff.  Place a large scoop of the icing in a decorating bag with a small tip and set aside.  This icing will be used to outline your cookie.

To the remaining icing, add water by the spoonful until the icing is the consistency of maple syrup.  This thinner icing will be used to flood, or fill, in the center of the cookies.

An easy one to start with is a standard 6-armed star.  Using your piping bag, carefully draw intersecting lines through each arm.  Now, create a snowflake look by adding V-shapes through the arms.  Add a sugar pearl or dot at the end of each and in the middle.  WhatsCookingAmerica.net has a great variety of snowflake decorated cookies for you to check out and draw inspiration from.  There is no wrong way to do it, and because no two snowflakes are the same, you can experiment with a lot of different techniques and toppings.

Both sugar and gingerbread cookies are great with cocoa, tea, or coffee; perfect for a cozy evening at home.  This is the best way to enjoy winter!

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What is luster dust?  It sounds magical, doesn't it?  It is a nontoxic, completely edible powder that adds no taste to the cookies.  This is great if you want to add sparkle, shine, and color to your baked goods without adding extra sugar.  Luster dust, which is sometimes called “pearl dust,” is available in a wide variety of colors and is quite versatile. It can be used wet or dry to create different effects, and it has a gorgeous, sophisticated metallic sheen.

Cake decorators often use luster dust to add shine and refinement to wedding cakes, and now you can add elegance and professional polish to your home-baked goods as well.  Now, how do you get started?

You can use luster dust dry or wet, depending on what type of effect you want to create.  If you are using it dry, simply use an unused paintbrush to brush the dust onto your cookies.  This adds beautiful shine and shimmer and can dress up cookies for weddings or baby shower favors, and other events.

If you are using it dry, you do not need to prep.  Just shake some luster dust into a dish and get started.

You can also use luster dust to “paint” your cookies.  This allows you to create a deeper color and to have a little more freedom in the types of designs you want to create.

First, tap a little of the luster dust into a dish and add a few drops of vodka.  Yes, vodka.  Luster dust does not bond with water, so you'll need an alcohol-based solution.

Now you have your paint and you can let your inner artist out and try swirls, names, pictures, borders, flowers, and more. You are only limited by your imagination. Luster dust is a great addition to any pantry.  If you have never used it before, set aside some time and some sugar cookies and give it a try!

See how it's done in this video:

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Adults are allowed to facilitate but not sell the cookies. There must be a scout present at all times to do the selling. So plan on having several scouts to volunteer at different times of the day so girls won’t get tired.

Ask a local food store, strip mall owner, restaurant or other local store if your troop can set up a card table outside their business. The owner will usually be happy to agree unless zoning laws forbid selling outside their store. If that’s the case, the store owner will often allow you to set up inside the store. You can also plan to set up at local craft fairs or outdoor flea markets.

Bring a small card table. A square one is best. Don’t overdo it with a long table that takes up too much space. You are a guest, after all and most places will not charge you to be there. So be respectful of the space they have given you.

Bring enough inventory to last you several hours. You don’t want to have willing buyers and not enough cookies. Bring more than you think you need. Since all the money is going to your troop, there should be no problem getting enough boxes of gourmet cookies to sell.

Any girl who plans to man the cookie table should be given credit for the cookies sales she initiates. So you’ll want to help the girls keep a list of how much they have each sold. Girls receive prizes and badges for selling the cookies, so you want to ensure proper credit is given.

Bring enough change so that you don’t have to go rummaging around in your purse at the last minute. You’ll need lots of ones and quarters. Go to the bank the day before the sale or make change in the morning at the store where you’ll be setting up. Keep the change in a box with a lock. And put a slip of paper inside with how much money you started with in change so you can deduct it from the sales at the end.

Have each girl wear her uniform to do the selling. Since it will be February or March, you’ll want to ensure they are warm enough, too. You might have a canteen of hot cocoa ready for them and ask all moms to dress their girls with coats, gloves, and hats.

The cookies practically sell themselves once you are set up. People love Girl Scout cookies and the cuter the girls and the more willing they are to ask passing shoppers if they’d like to buy a box of cookies, the more you’ll all sell. Just be sure that an adult stays at the table to supervise and never let a Girl Scout approach strangers at their cars or follow them to their cars to deliver the cookies to them. Safety is of the utmost importance.

Keep track of how many cookies your troop sells each day. You may want to do both days of a weekend at one location, or do one location on a Saturday and move to another location for a Sunday sale.

Ask moms and scouts to sign up ahead of time for when they can man the table. One person usually heads up the process and calls or emails moms the night before to remind them of the times they signed up for.

Selling Girl Scout cookies can help build a young lady’s self-esteem and show her how the marketing process works. It’s great real world learning and she’ll use the skills and confidence she gains all her life.

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This new concept has taken off recently as grass roots organizations like local PTOs have started to contribute to it. All you have to do is hold a bake sale and donate your proceeds to the Great American Bake Sale. The non-profit organization then uses your donation to help fight the hunger that runs rampant in children all across the country. Their goal is to end childhood hunger by the year 2015.

Unlike a traditional bake sale, you’ll have the backing of the organization behind you. Once you register your bake sale online at the organization’s site, www.strength.org, you can order promotional flyers and materials to help publicize your sale. People are more likely to come out in support of the organization since they see where the money is going. Read through the Great American Bake Sale’s site to find more opportunities to get involved and help fight hunger.

You can certainly host your own holiday bake sale and donate to a local charity of your choice. This is another simple way to make a difference. Many organizations like the PTO and scout troops will coordinate an effort to raise funds through baked good sales. If you combine a bake sale with another event, the proceeds will likely skyrocket. Being part of a flea market or town wide tag sale can give you more visibility and more traffic—which equals more buyers.

Usually, each family brings baked goods they make at home to donate to the sale. But it can also be fun to host a baking party at someone’s house so you can all bake together as a group. Or you can see if you can use a church or other public place’s kitchen to bake in bulk. If it’s for charity, they will usually let you.

Bake sales are still a fantastic way for young people to help a good cause. They can bake, make the table displays, run the cash register, make change and watch their delicious gourmet desserts being enjoyed by eager customers. It’s a good lesson in life and in money management.

Charities usually run dry of contributions around the winter months. So, any extra you can provide through your gift of cash raised from your bake sale will be a welcomed sight. See if you can drop off the donation along with some of the children who baked the holiday cookies. It will do a world of good for them to see where the money went and how it will be used. They will be more likely to have a charitable spirit next time an event is being planned.

Baked goods are always in demand and are easy to create. Experiment with some unique recipes and you can sell your creations for a fair price. Of course, the old favorites of chocolate chip and oatmeal cookies will still be on everyone’s favorite lists.

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When giving cookies, presentation is everything.  Well, the taste of the cookies is everything, but the box is important, too.  A careful presentation can turn this homemade treat into an elegant gift. One very easy way to make a cookie box is to find plain white gift boxes in the size that you want.  Cut strips of patterned paper (scrapbook paper is great for this, but wrapping paper can do in a pinch) and glue a strip around the sides of the box.  Cut a circle from card stock and glue it on the strip at the front of the box.

Fill your box with delicious cookies and close the lid.  Tie a ribbon around the box and tie it at the top.  Next, cut circles from cardboard or cardstock and layer them. This will be the tag, and you can draw on the recipient’s first initial or name.  Glue the tag over the ribbon and the cardstock circle on the front of the box for a personalized seal.

You can make your own cookie boxes, as well.  Associated Content has a helpful instructional video on making an origami box from plain computer paper.  This makes a great box for a small amount of cookies or perhaps some homemade candies.  If you either want to make a bigger box or aren’t dexterous enough to do origami, you can print cookie box templates online.  There are great ones at DontEatthePaste.com.

You can either print one on a paper or cardstock of your choice or you can print it and then trace it onto the paper of your choice.  In either case, all you have to do is cut and fold along the lines.  In no time, you will have a beautiful homemade box for your cookies.

Before you put the cookies into the box, it is a good idea to line it with wax or parchment paper.  Tissue paper is also a great choice, especially if you want to add color to your presentation.  Arrange the cookies carefully, close the box, and secure with a ribbon or sticker.

Here are some other tips for making your gift look and taste perfect:

• Do not store soft and crisp cookies in the same container, because the crisp ones won’t stay crisp.
• Make sure they are stored in a tightly covered container with a sealable or snug lid.
• If your soft cookies have begun to dry out, cut an apple in half and place it skin side down on top of the cookies.  Remove the fruit after a day or so.
• If you need to store cookies longer, put them in freezer-safe containers or bags.  Before serving or giving, make sure they are completely thawed in their original freezer packaging.
• If you are storing dough, shape it into rolls until you are going to use it.
• If you are shipping cookies, brownies, bar cookies, and drop cookies, like chocolate chip, are the least likely to become damaged.  Sugar cookies very often crack or break.  Avoid shipping cookies that have moist or creamy fillings or frostings because they can get sticky and misshaped.
• Add the recipe you used on a decorative tag for a nice homey touch.

Give the gift of homemade cookies; it is sure to be appreciated.  This is one gift you can be sure will be used and loved.

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There are a few ways to go about decorating your Christmas tree with cookie ornaments. One way is to actually bake cookies and hang them on the tree. The other is to make a cookie-like dough that you won’t eat, cut it into shapes, and shellac the ornaments for years to come. Whether you make the edible or non-edible version, it’s a fun craft to do with children.

The Edible Version

To bake Christmas cookies to hang on the tree that are actually edible, you’ll just want to whip up a batch of sugar cookie dough. You can also purchase rolls of store bought sugar cookie dough. Don’t use a chocolate chip batter. But gingerbread is a great substitute to sugar cookie dough.

The only difference between baking cookies to eat and to hang on the tree is that you will need to make a small hole in the cookies before you bake them. This will be the hole that you will thread ribbon or an ornament hook through for hanging on the tree.

The rest is the same. Blend the dough, roll it and bake it as directed in the recipe. Decorate with royal icing so the frosting will dry hard and not stay sticky.

You can find recipes for sugar cookies and for royal icing online and in most baking cookbooks. After you have completed your cookie ornaments and hung them on the tree, allow guests to come and pick off cookies they would like to eat. Or let kids hand out the sugar cookie favors to guests as they arrive. They can eat them or save them as gifts.

The Non Edible Version

There are a few reasons you might want to make inedible cookie ornaments for your tree. First, they are easier to make and use fewer ingredients. Second, they last longer. They’ll look pretty even though you won’t be eating them.

The reason the dough is not edible is because it contains too much salt. Any child who has made handmade play dough in Kindergarten this way can tell you that it tastes terrible. It won’t harm you if you eat it, but it isn’t advised.

All you need is flour, salt, and water. You’ll also want to round up some cookie cutters with Christmas motifs and some decorating materials such as paint, glitter, sequins or feathers. Remember, it can be anything since you are not eating the final product.

Here’s the ratio of ingredients.

Salt Dough Ornaments

Flour: 4 cups

Salt: 1 cup (yes, it’s a lot)

Hot Water: 1-1/2 cups

Mix all the ingredients together in a bowl. Knead and roll out the dough as you would for sugar cookies. Cut into fun shapes. Poke a hole with a pencil point through the top of each ornament. This will be where you’ll run your string or ornament hook through. You must do it before baking or lose your chance. Once the dough hardens, there’s no good way to make a hole without shattering the cookie.

Bake the dough in a toaster oven for a few minutes until it turns golden. Or you can bake at a low temperature (300 degrees) for three or four minutes. Watch the ornaments as they bake so they don’t burn. Let the ornaments cool. Then decorate, paint, glue on eyes, or add clothing. String a ribbon through the hole.

If you use a good craft shellac, you can preserve these ornaments from year to year. Ask at your craft store for craft shellac that will work on dough ornaments. It’s easy to find and you will have no trouble using it. Brush it on with a paintbrush on the front and back and sides of the ornament. Just remember to throw out any brushes you used for paint (or wash and put them away for another craft). Don’t use the brushes for food-grade ornaments you plan to eat. It’s ok to wash and reuse any cookie cutters on food as the dough is perfectly safe.

A cookie bouquet is such a welcome surprise. Every day is the right day to send a cookie bouquet. Send one for a graduation, birthday, get well, congratulations, anniversary, housewarming, baby’s arrival, or just because.
The finest cookie bouquets look like real flowers. Only they are decorated cookies. Usually they are sugar cookies cut out in flower shapes and decorated with brightly colored icing so amazingly done that you would swear they are real flowers. You can choose from sunflowers, tulips, roses, or more. Most companies offer standard cookie bouquets that are personalized to the occasion. So it’s not hard to find one you like. You’ll just have a hard time narrowing down your choices since they’re all so pretty.
You can order from many companies online or you can make your own cookie bouquet. It’s really simple. All you need is a good sugar cookie recipe, frosting like royal icing that will harden and is still edible, and long lollipop sticks from the craft store. Consider placing your cookie bouquet in a pretty vase that is also part of the gift. You can choose a vase that is clear with pretty stones at the bottom or fill it with colored faux gemstones from the craft store in bright colors. The weight of the added embellishments will help keep the cookies from tipping over.
When buying a cookie basket online, consider the price. You’ll want to shop around as cookies can be really expensive when done up in this elegant fashion. Be sure you know what you are getting. You may see a lush bouquet of flower cookies in the picture and come to find out that it’s only a placeholder photo and that the bouquet you ordered is really half the size. It’s happened to everyone. So be sure to ask when ordering online.
Find out what the cookies are made from so you really can keep a smile on your recipient’s face. You don’t want to gift them with a food they are allergic to. Ask how often the cookies are baked. You don’t want to send over stale cookies. If they’re not baked daily, consider going someplace else. Is each cookie wrapped individually for freshness? They should be so they’ll last longer.
Find out about personalization. Can you write a special message on your cookie? Usually the center cookie in the bouquet is reserved for that purpose. Be sure you give the correct spelling of the person’s name and write what you want to say. Best not to let the cookie company decide for you or you may get something you didn’t expect. There’s usually a space at the checkout where you can write a message that the company will use as is.
Enjoy choosing your cookie basket, but don’t get soaked by shipping. Once you find the ideal basket, you may find that to get it there will be another $20 or more. Check before you start browsing so you’re not disappointed. And also check to see that they deliver in your area. Ask for the delivery time. Is it guaranteed overnight? Do you have to pay extra to get it there by a certain date?

If you’ve ever tried to make a gingerbread house, you know that it can be difficult. You can find kits that require assembly and decorating, but which give you all the supplies you need. This can be a good alternative, but if you want to make something yourself, or with your children, try this:

Easy Cookie House

You’ll need:

• Graham crackers (about 6 per house, or more if you’re feeling ambitious)

• Royal icing

• Decorations (candies, colored sugars, Oreos, cookies, gumdrops, peppermints, pretzels, and more make great trimmings for your house)

The royal icing is a very important part of the building process. It can also be a pain to use! But, luckily, it doesn’t take long and only has a few ingredients.

• 2 large egg whites (whites only!)

• 2 teaspoons lemon juice

• 3 cups confectioner’s sugar

Beat the egg whites and lemon juice and then add the powdered sugar. Beat this on low speed until smooth. That’s it! But royal icing dries and hardens very quickly, so make sure to cover it with plastic wrap when not in use.

Begin by making a base for your house to stand on. Use a piece of 8x10 (or so) cardboard and cover it with aluminum foil. This will give you a foundation and a little yard to decorate later.

To make your house, get six whole graham crackers. Put four of them to the side (these will be used to make the roof and the two long sides of the house). Right now, you’re going to work on the gables. Use a serrated knife to gently saw the cracker’s short side so it has a point now. You can make sure it will fit right by using the lines on the crackers to make a triangle tip. Do this for the other gable.

Now you can begin assembling the graham cracker house. Pipe royal icing onto the edge of one of the gable sides and hold it in place on your base. You can also pipe royal icing on the base, too, to get a stronger hold. With one of the rectangle pieces, pipe icing on the edge of the two short sides and the bottom edge and hold on the base. Again, be generous with the royal icing and apply a layer to the base before you put the cracker on. Next, put on the other gabled end in this way, followed by the last rectangular wall. Make sure you hold each one firmly in place to allow it to set. Royal icing dries quickly, so a few minutes should be sufficient.

Next, pipe royal icing around all four sides of one of the roof crackers (flat on the cracker, not on the edge like you did with the walls). Press this gently on to the gables and walls and hold in place until secure. Repeat this with the other side of the roof.

Let the royal icing dry and harden completely. You have completed your house! Now comes the fun part. Use your royal icing as glue for the candies, sprinkles, chocolate covered oreos and other trimmings. Remember to put some icing on the base and decorate that as well.

If you want to make a cookie house that isn’t gingerbread and has a simplified process, this is a great project.

Who said you can only make a cookie house at Christmas time? Make one of these fun houses when a new neighbor moves in as a housewarming cookie arrangement!

Calling all cookie lovers! The cookie has earned its place in America’s heart. There are hundreds of versions of cookie boxes lining the shelves of supermarkets and under the glass freshly baked in bakeries. It’s no wonder that cookies would have worked their way to the minds of those who create national holidays. You may not get a day off from school or work for these cookie-related holidays, but they sure are fun.

National Cookie Month

Did you know that October is National Cookie Month? That’s just one more reason to celebrate the fall! No one’s really sure where the holiday originated, but it has been declared a National Holiday designed to share a love of cookies and baking. The idea is that all month long people will bake and treat others to cookies. This is a great time to get creative and break out the sprinkles and food coloring. Try a new recipe or two. Learn to make Springerle or Spritz cookies or a cookie from a country you’ve never been to. Use your imagination and you can help spread the word about National Cookie Month every October.

National Cookie Cutter Week

Bet you didn’t know that National Cookie Cutter Week falls in the first week of December every year. It was made a holiday back in the 1990's by a woman named Paula Mullins. This Kentucky cookie baker thought it would be fun if she and her fellow members of the Cookie Cutter Collector’s Club had their own special edition cookie cutter each year to use for the holiday every December. The idea behind the holiday? To get people to slow down and think about baking a new form for the holiday cookies. It’s a great time for grandmothers to sit down with grandchildren and moms who are too busy most of the time to take a breather and bake with the kids. It’s a sweet idea. Don’t forget to check out the National Cookie Cutter Collector Club's Museum in Joplin, Missouri.

National Cookie Day

It makes sense that National Cookie Cutter Week falls in line with National Cookie Day which is celebrated on December 4^th every year. The origins of this holiday may be a mystery, but it gives people a good excuse to bake up a batch of cookies for their friends. Why not be the office champion this year and show up on December 4^th with a few dozen of your best?

National Sugar Cookie Day

Why National Sugar Cookie Day is set in the heat of summer is anyone’s guess. But this tasty holiday falls on July 9^th each year. It is a lesser known National Holiday to be sure, but it is the only cookie to have its own special day. So why not celebrate it to the max? If you’d rather be out by the pool than inside baking when July rolls around, why not buy a few rolls of prepared sugar cookie dough at the supermarket? You can find it in the refrigerated section. Roll out the dough and cut with your favorite beach-shaped cookie cutters for a fun pool side snack. There are so many ways to enjoy the humble sugar cookie without ever turning on the oven. You can even buy pre-made sugar cookies from a bakery and decorate them yourself with sprinkles, candies, pretty frosting colors, coconut, chocolate chips and more. Why not have a National Sugar Cookie Day party? Invite the neighborhood kids over to decorate pre-made cookie party favors outside in the sunshine and have a ball. Plus, clean up’s a breeze.

You may not find any cards in the store celebrating any of these whimsical and fun national holidays that focus on cookies. But there’s fun to be had when you take everyone’s favorite dessert and turn it into a whole day of celebration. Treat friends and family to a surprise batch or plan to hold a fundraising bake sale for a good cause on one of these holidays.

Here are some recipes. If you don’t have a jelly roll pan, simply use any non-stick cake pan. Usually a 13x 9 inch pan will work exactly the same way.

Chocolate Chip Cookie Brownies (from food.com)

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups unsalted butter

2 cups brown sugar, packed

2 teaspoons vanilla

5 eggs

1 teaspoon baking soda

3 1/4 cups flour

2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips

1/2 cup cocoa powder

1 cup walnuts (optional)

Directions

Preheat the oven to 400°F.

Line a 10 x 15 jelly roll pan with foil, and coat with non-stick cooking spray.

Using a large saucepan over medium-high heat, melt the butter. Remove from heat. Stir in the sugar, vanilla, and 3 of the eggs until smooth. Add the baking soda in pinches. Mix in the flour and stir until smooth. Pour half of the batter into the pan and spread in a thin layer.

Press the chocolate chips into the batter.

Beat the remaining eggs and cocoa into the batter until smooth. Mix in the walnuts. Pour into the pan on top of the first layer and spread evenly.

Bake on the lowest rack for 18 minutes, until the top is dry but the interior is not yet firm.

Store for up to one week, wrapped in plastic.

Cookie Dough Brownies (from tasteofhome.com)

When I take these rich brownies to any get-together, I carry the recipe, too, because it always gets requested. Children of all ages love the tempting "cookie dough" filling. This special treat is typically the first to be gone from the buffet table - even before the entrees!

Ingredients

4 eggs

1 cup canola oil

2 cups sugar

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 cup baking cocoa

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup chopped walnuts, optional

FILLING:

1/2 cup butter, softened

1/2 cup packed brown sugar

1/4 cup sugar

2 tablespoons milk

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 cup all-purpose flour

GLAZE:

1 cup (6 ounces) semisweet chocolate chips

1 tablespoon shortening

3/4 cup chopped walnuts

Directions

In a large bowl, beat the eggs, oil and sugar. Stir in vanilla. Combine flour, cocoa and salt; gradually add to egg mixture. Stir in walnuts if desired. Pour into a greased 13-in. x 9-in. baking pan. Bake at 350° for 30 minutes or until brownies test done. Cool completely.

For filling, in a large bowl, cream butter and sugars until light and fluffy. Beat in milk and vanilla. Gradually beat in flour. Spread over the brownies; chill until firm.

For glaze, in a microwave, melt chocolate chips and shortening; stir until smooth. Spread over filling. Immediately sprinkle with nuts, pressing down slightly.

Don't forget your friends. Put some of each cookie brownie in a cookie tin and let your friends know that you're thinking of them!