The Best Cookies and a Bit of Halloween

Every time I make cookies my kids tell me that the cookie of the moment is their favorite cookie. I think they just like cookies. And I must admit, I do make good cookies. However, I do think these are truly the best of them all.


These are almond flavored, chewy sugar cookies.


Once again, I double this recipe to guarantee there will be enough cookies to feed my own cookie monsters along with their friends and coworkers. I almost got 60 by doubling it.


These are frosted with a butter cream frosting and I usually dust them with sanding sugar. I was out of it so I used these colored sprinkles instead.


These are very dense so they go a long way. Well, not that long of a way considering I made these two days ago and they are gone.

Single Recipe:

1 cup sugar
1 egg
1/2 cup butter
2 teaspoons of almond extract
1 teaspoon of baking powder
1/2 teaspoon of salt
1/2 can or roll of almond paste
2 cups of flour.

Combine wet ingredients until creamy then add dry ingredients. I use a 2-3 tablespoon ice cream scoop and place them on a parchment lined cookie sheet. When it is as hot as it is here, I place them in the refrigerator to chill for about 30 minutes before baking. I like them to stay mounded and not flatten out and chilling them does the trick.

Bake them at 350 degrees for 15 minutes. You don't really want them to brown. They should just be set. Allow them to rest on the cookie sheets for about 5 minutes then transfer them to a wire rack to cool.

While they are cooling make this simple icing:

4 cups confectioner sugar
1/2 stick of butter
1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
2 tablespoons of milk
I usually tint the icing. This batch was tinted a light yellow.

What can I say? A cookie a day keeps the doctor away? Oops.....it's probably more like a cookie a day makes you fat.



My daughter and her friend asked me to wrap some wedding shower presents for them this past weekend. I LOVE to wrap presents! The friend gave me these salt and pepper shakers as a thank you gift! Wow!!! How perfect! Thank you so much Christine!


Here are some recent Halloween finds.


I got the skeleton, witch and owl for 8.00 on ebay. This shocked me because the tissue paper is in great shape and these usually sell for much more.


I found this cute little pumpkin sign at Michael's.


Along with these which are good for holding Halloween treats. They are also 40% off right now.


Before and After candy? Ok, I am feeling a bit stupid here but I'm guessing these are for before and after kissing?


Caramel apple Sugar Babies, chocolate covered Peep pumpkins, Twilight chocolates, vamp fangs and a candy corn lolly pop.


And of course we all need a black cat that poops jelly beans.


All of the great Martha Stewart stuff is out at Joanne Fabrics now.


Chocolate mousse flavored Peeps cats.


And ghost Dots.....what cute little guys!



And check this out! How cool is this. Dripping plastic stick on blood. It peels right off and leaves no marks.

Well. that is it for Halloween stuff today. I will be out soon searching for more. Target's doesn't have any of their stuff out yet.

Even though the temps today are in the mid to upper 90's, my Fall flowering Clematis is blooming.

Comments

Anonymous said…
Halloween is my daughter's favourite time of year (apart from Christmas and birthday of course!!) and she loves this post.

And I love those cookies!

CJ xx
My guess is that those mints are for "before and after" blow jobs. It's a new world out there, Jaz. Glad I'm not part of it.
Guillaume said…
My parents have clematis on nthe wall of their house.

Funny, I thought I have read "a bite of Halloween" in the title.
Tractor Mom said…
I love this cookie recipe. Where do you find almond paste? If at the grocery store, what department or asile would it be on? I've never bought any.

Come by when you can...

www.frugaltractormom.blogspot.com
Anonymous said…
I have to get some of that stick on blood. That is cool!
love everything...but you REALLY scored BIG TIME on the things from ebay...i REALLY LOVE the owl...

what a winner

have you gone on that website:
GrandInRoad?
Dirgesinger said…
What do You think, can I perhaps substitute almond paste with something? I am not sure I can buy it here and besides I am not too fond of almonds.
And just one more question - 1/2 stick of butter is how much? Sorry for the silly questions but these cookies seem so loveable that I want to try them out this weekend. Thank You so much!
Those salt and pepper shakers really came to the right person :-)

I really like that bucket and basket with the signs! I think it´s the price of pumpkins that brings me back in memories, because no one grows pumpkins over here :-)

Oh a pooping cat :-) :-) I got a pooping raindeer from a friend last Christmas. I laugh every time I use it :-) :-) :-)

We almost never have frosting on our cakes. Only at Christmas on the ginger bread. We seldom have frosting on anything come to think about it :-)

Have a great day now!
Christer.
Dirgesinger said…
Thanks a million! I won't forget to report but if I turn out to be an awful cookie-maker I won't admit it :):)
Those cookies look DElicious! I am seriously trying them as soon as the weather gets cooler.

As for your Halloween goodies-- wow. I love your ebay finds!
Sharlene T. said…
Ok, you have to make more than seven cookies to last longer than a day... while you weren't looking, I took the rest... love your Halloween stuff... going back to the antique shop to take some photos for you... thanks for sharing...
Texmom said…
I have to ask a gardening question. Does your autumn clematis re-sprout everywhere in your yard? Mine is borderline a thug. I even find it over 50 yards away from the original plant. If yours does, do you just pull it, like I have to do or what form of control do you use?
Debbie said…
My God girl do you ever like Halloween!!!!!! Amazing!! You are even getting ME excited about what is to come! I am still in awe of the amount of food you cook. Your kids cannot possibly eat that much...do they have friends over all the time? Do you run a business out of your homes and have lots of employees?? Where does that food go? They are very, very lucky kids....that's for sure! We are having a gathering on Saturday. I am making strawberry sweet tea, creamy pasta salad, your stuffed jalapenos, and I need one more thing...a main dish to go with but can't think of anything! My mother and father in law are bringing homemade chili and chicken wings....my sister in law will probably bring a potato salad and am not sure yet of anyone else's plans for food. Oh and I am making Arizona Angelfood cake. You take an angelfood cake...cut off the top and set aside. Tunnel out the center of cake. Make strawberry jello...add frozen strawberries and the cut up cake that was hollowed out...let set for 3 minutes and put back in cake. Cover cake with cool whip that is colored pink, and some fresh strawberries. Is this like your strawberry cake?
You are finding some really cool Halloween stuff, I better get shopping!
Teresa said…
I must say your pumpkin sign is very cute, and I just love those mushrooms!
Leanna said…
Halloween!!! My favorite time of the year. It's better than Christmas. I have to try those cookies! So much to do this month. I need to go get my Fall and Halloween stuff out of the storage closet and then go shopping.
Rosemary said…
Got a laugh out of the cat that poops..... Impressed with the autumn flowering clematis, gorgeous !
brokenteepee said…
Does it poop black jelly beans?
That would be perfect....
The cookies look delicious! Can I ask where you bought the candy and mints? Are they from Michael's?