Chocolate Sugar Cookies

I enjoy a sugar cookie every now and then, but chocolate? Yummers! These cookies look great with a little bit of bright frosting to outline their shapes! If you take them out of the oven before they look completely done, they'll stay nice and soft, plus they have a rich chocolate flavor that you're gonna love!

Chocolate Sugar Cookies [click to print]
Makes about 2-1/2 dozen

2-1/4 c flour
1 c cocoa powder
1/4 tsp salt
1 c butter, unsalted
1-1/4 c. sugar
1 egg
1/4 c. sour cream
1 tsp vanilla

Whisk together flour, cocoa and salt; set aside. Combine butter and sugar in separate bowl and beat until just barely combined. With mixer on low speed, add egg, vanilla and sour cream. Scrape sides of bowl as needed.

Scoop dough onto large sheet of wax paper. Cover with another sheet of wax paper and roll out about 1/4" thick. Place entire thing on baking sheet and chill at least one hour.

Remove top sheet of wax paper. Press cookie cutters into dough to create desired shapes. If dough is too sticky (to cutters or bottom layer of wax paper), dust with a little cocoa powder. Place cutouts on cookie sheet, about 1/2" apart, and refrigerate 30 minutes; this will help cookies maintain sharper edges.

Bake at 350 for 8-10 minutes.

Source: Adapted from Sprinkle Bakes

How Come You Taste So Good?

I'd like to claim that my addiction to all things sweet is of recent onset. But that would by lying and I just don't do that (family, please contain your laughter and judge-y looks)...at least not about anything serious. I am a sugar junkie. I love to eat sugary treats, I love to look at pictures of sugary treats, I love to bake sugary treats and I love to pawn sugary treats off on unsuspecting friends. Really, it's a wonder I have any teeth left in my head at all.

When your roommate has to make a sticker chart to track her progress on cutting back to only one serving of your delectable baked goods per day, it may not be such a good sign. And since I have about five cakes sitting around my apartment at any given time (table, counter, fridge, freezer, my stomach...), I decided I better think of a few ways to thin out my own blood sugar levels while I still fit into my pants. Here are a few of my favorite ideas to make baking a little more worthwhile:

• Drop off some dinner and dessert for a stressed out friend
• Stop by an elderly neighbor's for a chat with some cookies and milk
• Wake up your family with the scent of fresh hot cinnamon rolls
• Donate cookie mixes in jars to a women's shelter
• Organize a bake sale for a local charity
• Teach a baking class at a residential center or nursing home

The thought really does count for something here, everything doesn't have to be homemade to matter. Just step back and look at your talents and abilities. There are so many ways we can enrich the lives of other people around us if we'll just take a little time to care!