Sugar-Doodle Cookies

It's here. Christmas season is finally here.  The tree is up.  My Relient K "Let It Snow Baby, Let It Reindeer" album is playing on repeat. (Reindeer. Rain dear. Get it? Oh that Matt Thiessen is a genius). And I've forced Max to wear his santa jacket all weekend long.

P.S. If there's anyone wanting to adopt a slightly neurotic miniature schnauzer, please feel free. I'm fairly certain he's plotting my death due to the fact that I make him wear ridiculous things.

Oh right, and the reason you're here- the cookies. I finally made this year's inaugural batch of Christmas cookies!

How cute are these little guys?! Baby sugar cookies, covered in colored sugar.  The act of rolling them in sugar reminded me of another Christmas favorite- snickerdoodles. I don't know why cinnamon = snicker, however these I shall deem these sugar-covered treats sugardoodles :)

Sugar-Doodle Cookies

Inspired by this month's Food Network Magazine

What You'll Need:
2 1/2 cups Cake Flour
1 tsp Baking Powder
1/4 tsp Salt
1 cup (2 sticks) Butter, room temp
3/4 cup Sugar
1 Egg
1 tsp Vanilla Extract

1 cup Sugar, divided
5-6 drops Red Food Coloring
2-3 drops Green Food Coloring

What To Do:
1. Sift together cake flour, baking powder and salt in a medium bowl. Set aside. In a large bowl, cream together butter and 3/4 cup sugar until light and fluffy - about 2-3 minutes. Then add egg and vanilla and beat until combined.

2. Add the flour to the butter mixture in 2 increments, mixing completely each time. Wrap dough in plastic wrap and chill for about an hour.

3. While dough is chilling, preheat oven to 350F and prepare the colored sugar. Add 2-3 drops of green  food coloring to 1/2 cup of sugar and mix until entirely incorporated.  Repeat with remaining 1/2 cup of sugar and 5-6 drops of red food coloring.

4. Once the dough is chilled, use a small cookie scoop to create 1/2 inch round cookies. Roll in colored sugar to cover and then place on a parchment-lined cookie sheet. Flatten cookies with palm of your hand.

5. Bake for 15 minutes. Once done, allow to cool on the sheet for an additional 5 minutes.