If you’re ready to take on a deliciously creative project like Amanda, be sure to take advantage of her tried and true recipes for cookies, icing and homemade fondant.

Amanda’s Amazing Sugar Cookies
• 1-½ cup Butter (I Use Unsalted)
• 2 cups Sugar
• 2 whole Eggs
• 2 whole Eggs Yolks
• 4 teaspoons Vanilla Extract
• 2 teaspoons Almond Extract
• 4 cups All-purpose Flour
• 1 teaspoon Salt
• 1 teaspoon Baking Powder

In a mixer, beat butter and sugar until well combined, about 2 minutes.
Add in 2 eggs and 2 egg yolks and mix until combined.
Add in vanilla and almond extract; mix until combined.
In a separate bowl, sift together flour, salt, and baking powder. Slowly (about a cup at a time) add flour to butter mixture and combine. You can use a mixer or not, just depends on how strong you are.

I usually just mix ingredients until they are combined, as I have heard that if you over-mix this dough it will get tough.
Put dough in some Saran wrap and refrigerate for at least one hour. When you are ready to bake, heat oven to 350 degrees. Roll dough out, cut out cookies, and bake for 6-8 minutes.

Amanda’s Awesome Icing
• 1 cup Confectioners Sugar (powder Sugar)
• 1 Tablespoon Milk
• 1 drop Lemon Juice (fresh Or Processed)
• 1 Tablespoon Light Corn Syrup

Combine powder sugar, corn syrup, and lemon juice in a bowl.
******This next step is important!******If you need a thicker frosting, say for outlining your cookies, add LESS milk.
Just a drop at a time. If you have already outlined your cookies and need a to fill in or ’spill’ your cookies, you can add more milk (as much as you would need) to make your frosting very runny.
If you are using food coloring, be sure to use LESS milk. Most food colorings are liquid and can make your frosting more runny. If you are using a gel food coloring, your milk quantity can remain the same.
If you want to add different flavors, you can add drops of vanilla extract, almond extract, lemon, etc. to flavor your frosting.
If you want more SHINE, use more corn syrup and less milk. This frosting will stay good for days in the fridge.

Amanda’s Homemade Fondant
1 bag mini marshmallows
1 pound confectioners sugar
1 tbsp water
shortening for greasing hands and surface
…and the youtube video to with it!

You can read more on her blog and subscribe to updates by sending her a quick email at manda2177@aol.com to get on the list. The only danger is the cravings induced by reading!

Happy Baking!

XO,
paige

photos: i am baker