I have been missing in action for the last week and oh so busy. I'm not sure what is going on but since mid January I have been desperately trying to catch up and just when I think I might just about be there something else comes along.
This week I had 3 days to design, bake, decorate and pack 6 different batches of cookies which doesn't seem so hard but was a struggle for me with 1 day mostly a write off as I had put my name down to help out at my daughter's pre prep school and afterwards had swimming lessons for the kids.
Lucky for me I have a couple of easy, no fail cookie recipes, which is actually the point of this post.
Yes there is a point to this rambling post and it is to share my super easy extra delicious chocolate cookie recipe for cut out cookies.
They have a lovely chocolate flavour and result in a flat well shaped cookie, just perfect for decorating.
Chocolate Sugar Cookie Recipe
114 g unsalted butter (4 ounces)
3/4 cup caster sugar (superfine sugar use regular white sugar if you can't locate superfine)
1 large egg (a large egg is approx 55g in weight - not a jumbo or extra large egg)
1 tsp vanilla
1 1/2 cups plain flour (all purpose flour)
1/3 cup cocoa (unsweetened)
Sift together flour and cocoa.
In a large bowl cream butter and sugar add egg and vanilla and mix until well blended. Add flour and cocoa mixture and mix well.
Refrigerate dough until firm enough to roll (at least one hour).
Roll out cookie dough on a lightly floured surface. Some people roll out between 2 pieces of parchment paper to reduce sticking, I don't do that I just lift the dough between each roll to stop it sticking, like you do with pie dough. Use what ever method works for you.
Cut out shapes and place on a baking tray lined with parchment paper.
Gently knead the remaining dough and roll out again to cut more shapes until all dough is used or you have enough cookies.
Place cookies in fridge to chill while you preheat the oven to 160C (325 F).
Bake cookies until the middle is set, you should be able to tell by looking that it no longer looks wet, or there should be no indentation when pressed gently - this is tricky as you can't judge by the golden colour. Depending on the size of cookie it could be between 7 to 20 mins.
Leave on tray a few minutes and then remove to a wire baking rack to cool. Once cool decorate as desired.
Unbaked dough can be wrapped and frozen in an airtight container or refrigerated for a few days.