Cream Cheese Sugar Cookies | Midwest Food Photographers

Sugar cookies are the most versatile cookie for decorating. Perfect for any shape, icing, and sprinkle you can imagine. I can't say this is the best sugar cookie recipe in the world, but it might be your favorite. How do you know unless you try it?

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For a little while when we were younger, my brother and I spent a LOT of time icing cookies. His was done at Cheryl's Cookies and mine was at a deli that had a large variety of pastries and sweets. We both got really good at it, and I still find it comforting to take out a tray of cookies and smear the icing on. Maybe he and I will do a How-to video someday.

Cream Cheese Sugar Cookies

Ingredients

* 1 cup white sugar
* 1 cup butter, softened
* 1 (3 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
* 1/2 teaspoon salt
* 1/2 teaspoon almond extract
* 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
* 1 egg yolk
* 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

Directions

1. In a large bowl, combine the sugar, butter, cream cheese, salt, almond and vanilla extracts, and egg yolk. Beat until smooth. Stir in flour until well blended. Chill the dough for 8 hours, or overnight.
2. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
3. On a lightly floured surface, roll out the dough 1/3 at a time to 1/8 inch thickness, refrigerating remaining dough until ready to use. Cut into desired shapes with lightly floured cookie cutters. Place 1 inch apart on ungreased cookie sheets. Leave cookies plain for frosting, or brush with slightly beaten egg white and sprinkle with candy sprinkles or colored sugar.
4. Bake for 7 to 10 minutes in the preheated oven, or until light and golden brown. Cool cookies completely before frosting.

Mexican Hot Chocolate Cookie | Professional Food Photographer

My first experience with sweet treats made spicy was actually in Mexico, in 2002. We were at a resort that served Mexican Coffee after dinner, and it had cinnamon and something some type of pepper in it. It was wonderful. It took a few years before I saw anything similar back home, and that was of course Jeni's Queen City Cayenne ice cream. I always try the most unusual flavor on any menu, and when I saw chocolate and cayenne together, I had to have it. Sometimes I love unusual things just because of their uniqueness factor, but later the novelty will wear off. Many years later, Queen City Cayenne is still my favorite of Jeni's signature flavors.

When I saw Martha's take on a spicy sweet treat, I jumped on it. The only downside to these cookies was the need for a warning label, so kids wouldn't assume they were just chocolate cookies. Oh well, it makes for cuter packaging with the little warning label attached.

Mexican Hot Chocolate Cookie
from Martha Stewart

    * 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
    * 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
    * 2 teaspoons cream of tartar
    * 1 teaspoon baking soda
    * 1/2 teaspoon coarse salt
    * 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
    * 1 3/4 cups sugar
    * 2 large eggs
    * 2 teaspoons cinnamon
    * 1/2 teaspoon chile powder (I used ground cayenne)

Directions

   1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees, with racks in upper and lower thirds. In a medium bowl, sift together flour, cocoa powder, cream of tartar, baking soda, and salt. In a large bowl, using an electric mixer, beat butter and 1 1/2 cups sugar on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Scrape down side of bowl. Add eggs and beat to combine. With mixer on low, gradually add flour mixture and beat until combined.
   2. In a small bowl, combine remaining 1/4 cup sugar, cinnamon, and chile powder (if using). Using heaping tablespoons, form balls of dough and roll in cinnamon-sugar mixture. Place, about 3 inches apart, on two parchment-lined baking sheets. Bake until cookies are set in center and begin to crack, about 10 minutes, rotating sheets halfway through. Let cookies cool on sheets on wire racks 5 minutes, then transfer cookies to racks to cool completely. Makes 32. Store in an airtight container, up to 1 week.

A Food Photographer's Holiday Gift Guide to Columbus: Top 10

Tomorrow is small business Saturday, and I'm here to suggest some great gifts from 10 of my favorite Columbus small local businesses.

1. To make the most of your local restaurant giving, Dine Originals has gift certificates at discounted prices, While you're at it, buy a few for yourself. This dessert is from Deepwood Restaurant. Yum!








2. For a nice bottle of spirits, check out our Cocktail Couture Series, featuring Watershed Distillery, Middle West Spirits, Camelot Cellars, and Tessora Limone (shown). There's also Brothers Drake Meadery, and local breweries, such as Columbus Brewing Company. Attach a cute recipe card to the bottle for a personal touch.









3. Celebrate Local is a new pop-up shop at Easton, a one-stop-shop for local gifts. Here's a partial list of vendors selling at Celebrate Local. For more information, fan them on Facebook.

 4. The Candle Lab might not serve food, but tell me you don't smell toasted marshmallows and cranberry sauce when you walk in. Leave the mixing to the experts or create your own. I made a Campfire, Mulled Cider and Leather mix on a night out with friends. Entertainment and gift shopping in one.









5. For the kitchen dweller in your circle, grab some spices from North Market Spices. They're super friendly and would love to help you find the perfect mixes.

6. Grab some sweet goodies from Sugardaddy's . Now with 3 store locations (Polaris, Downtown and Easton), they're hard to miss.

7. How about a Clintonville Farmer's Market favorite that can be ordered online? Brezel Pretzels are fantastic, and a fun, unexpected gift.

8. For some dishes to eat all that food on, and much more, The Swanky Abode is a stylish, eclectic place to shop. (These cute coasters came from The Swanky Abode.)

9. Cooking classes are a fun activity to do as a couple, with friends, or with the kids. Here's a list of the best cooking class resources in Columbus, all with local businesses.









10. An easy gift that made it onto my list last year as well, is a subscription to Edible Columbus.












11. This is a top 10 guide, but how could I leave out Photo Kitchen, with an online photo library of over 10,000 photos to choose from and 150 products to print them on, you're sure to find the perfect gift. Search by subject or browse the collections, from oceans to skeleton keys, peaches to honey, and a whole lot in between.

Local Foods Holiday Gift Ideas!

Buying local for Christmas is easy! Even more perfect for out-of-town friends and family who may miss their Ohio favorites. Don't see YOUR favorite on the list? Please add your own, this is just a small, small segment of what Columbus has to offer!

1. For some seriously ingenious sweets, check out Sassafras Bakery's gift packages menu.

http://sassafrasbakery.com/seasonal.html

2. Taste of Belgium sells waffles by the bagful. They're even good to eat plain!

http://authenticwaffle.com/

3. Honey makes a sweet gift--and it never expires! At least not at my house.... Honeyrun Farms just started selling on Etsy, prefect timing!

http://www.etsy.com/shop/honeyrunfarm?ga_search_query=honeyrun+farm&ga_search_type=seller_usernames

4. Middle West Spirits makes some kick-ass vodka. Easy way to cross off the men on your list!

http://www.middlewestspirits.com/index.php/products/

5. For an obsessive cheese lover (like me), Oakvale Gouda is really worth the splurge. You may not believe me, but you should.

http://www.oakvalecheese.com/html/product_list___ordering.html

6. It goes without saying, but I'll say it anyway: Jeni's Ice Cream makes a great gift, and it's pretty cool to receive a package that requires dry ice.

http://www.jenisicecreams.com/

7. Pattycake Bakery isn't just for vegans. Check out their Mint Chocolate Whoopie Pie, yum!

http://www.pattycakeveganbakery.bigcartel.com/

8. The Olive Orchard makes olive oil and other items perfect for gifting. Everyone needs olive oil, how can you go wrong?

http://theoliveorchard.com/

9. Though I don't think they have an online store, you could stop into Crazy Goat Coffee in Gahanna and pick up some beans, a mug, or a gift card for your loved one!

http://www.crazygoatcoffee.com/menu.html

10. Camelot Cellars makes a great variety of wines, and you can design your own label! I did this for a friend's birthday, and really enjoyed the experience.

http://www.camelotcellars.com/

11. Even though Cheryl's has gone big, they're cookies are still locally produced!

http://www.cheryls.com/

12. Sweet Thing Gourmet has my favorite jams. I like them because I don't even think about putting them on bread, they're just too good for bread. I like their brandied apricot on bananas and their hot raspberry jam with cream cheese on Nut Thins crackers.

http://www.sweetthinggourmet.com/gifts.html

13. Last but not least, it's not a local food but it's certainly local-food themed, you could always get them a subscription to Edible Columbus magazine.

http://www.ediblecommunities.com/columbus/subscribe/subscribe.htm

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