TWD: Raspberry Linzers and Shu-Shu-Shugar Cookies.

My first blog post in a while, yes yes I know, blog is neglected. I can't even tell you guys how busy we are at home right now. The holidays just drain every ounce of energy from you, and we also in the midst of trying to buy a new house...which the bank is delighting in making pretty painful thanks to the economy right now. Please send well-house-wishes our way.

So again, I have been baking, almost more than ever due to the holiday season, but my poor blog languishes untouched since it takes too much time to get it written and upload pictures. Which is why I pounced on the opportunity of a FREE NIGHT last night and after the better half and I had some pho for dinner along with some crazy ass movie called 88 minutes, I made some cookie dough for two of the December TWD's and chilled it.

I made about 2 full recipes so I should have enough to do more with it, which is great, since I hate having to make recipes that call for hours of chilled dough since typically when I have the time or inclination to bake I want instant results. This way I'll have dough ready to go all season!



I read the P&Q's on the Linzers and Sugar cookies and also noticed that the recipes were very close to each other in Dorie's book. Then I googled to find 'best sugar cookie' recipes and was surprised to find an SF Gate article that talked about using one dough for multiple cookies.

The jist of the article is that people are so busy during holidays that most of us dread the thought of making 4-5 cookie doughs during this ridiculously festive time. So this gal posted one that she uses for 4-5 cookies and wow it sounded good. Like a basic butter or sugar cookie with multiple uses and add-ins.

So I used part of her recipe and some of Dorie's to get a good hybrid going for my Linzer and Sugar cookies. Pretty successful experiment though I forgot to put the ground almonds into the linzer dough so I ended up with plain linzers. Paired with tart raspberry preserves from my fall trip to Paris, they were divine though. I will try almond next time. I absolutely love Linzers and these were not that hard to make though I had to add a lot more flour to get rollable dough than I thought.



Sugar cookies needed more flavor, when I unearth the fridged dough to make more I might add more to them...either in the way of peppermint or almond, not sure.

And big props to anyone who manages to make the royal icing recipe and actually decorate their sugars. I always WANT to do this, I really do, but by the time I am typically done baking, I just want to rest and eat the spoils. I am doomed to forever never have royal iced cookies I guess (well unless I go to my baking pal Mira's house again because she knows how to produce both the cookies and icing in record time!)



Thankfully to the TWD powers-that-be..we have all of December to do our weekly baking..so I am happy that I am 'kinda caught up' thus far since the rest of Dec won't be any less crazy than the first half. Check out the TWD crew and their baking goodness here.

I plan to also make those Peanut Butter Chocolate Dipped cookies from the SF Article as well hopefully this month. I also have a crazy amount of cupcakes to produce this holiday season...it will surely be a fun challenge.

Happy Holidays all, enjoy the time with your families and friends!! Remember, baking means love. Well until the pants don't fit come Jan!! XO.