Spring is in the air!

Over the weekend, my Mom and I tried our hand again at decorating our sugar cookies (the recipe we use is from her grandmother and has been passed down).

My Mom was a huge help in the kitchen, as she was the primary one mixing the dough, cutting the cookies and manning the oven. All the while I prepared the icing. She also cleaned up my kitchen and did the dishes while I finished decorating. In total, we decorated 140 cookies, but had a great time while doing so.

This time, we used butter-cream icing rather than royal icing. The taste is much better, but the end result is much different. Butter-cream doesn't harden like royal icing does, so none of the cookies could be stacked on top of each other because it would smear the design. The next day, I was able to gently stagger the cookies on a platter, but some of the icing was a bit smashed when it came time to eat them.

I am trying my best to find an icing that tastes like butter-cream, but hardens like royal icing. I am open to any and all suggestions!

One day, I would love to have my own little bakery. That is far fetched, but the sky is the limit and everyone should dream.

**Pardon the quality/angle of the pictures - these were taken from my camera phone, so they are not that great.

Spring sugar cookies

Chocolate cupcakes