Sugar Cookie Cut-Outs

Sugar Cookies

2 3/4 cup flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
(Mix together & set aside)

3/4 cup butter
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla

Beat wet ingredients until light & fluffy.



Add flour mixture and mix until smooth. Chill one hour. Roll out and cut into shapes. Place cookies on greased baking sheet. Bake at 375 degrees for 8 to 10 minutes. Makes about 4 dozen 3-inch cookies.

My advice: If you really want chewy & not crunchy cookies, keep a close eye on them and also turn down the temp. on your oven if you know it runs a little hot. (I set mine at 365 and my cookies took exactly 8 mins.) As soon as the cookies begin to brown on the edges, take them out.

I am nowhere close to being an expert decorator, especially when I know the cookies are only going to be eaten by us, so please ignore how messy my frosting & sprinkles look! :) I also have to say this is my FIRST time ever making homemade cut-out sugar cookies, because I've always just believed they're too time-consuming & difficult to make... So I was surprised how easy it turned out to be... the only annoying part was that as the cookie dough got warm, it wanted to stick to my cookie cutters or my countertop. So I would cut out just enough to fill a cookie sheet and then put the bowl of dough back in the fridge until I was ready to put another batch in the oven. Also, I didn't venture into making my own frosting. I am not a big fan of homemade frosting, it's a combination of the sweetness & texture I don't really like, and the store boughten is cheap, easy & yummy, so that's what I used. I hope you enjoy this wonderful recipe!

Cereal Peanut Butter Bars

These are sooo delicious! My sister made them a long time ago and shared the recipe with me, but I just never made them. I remembered I had some Honey Bunches of Oats cereal in my cupboard that no one was eating, and I knew I was supposed to take some chocolatey dessert for Easter at Chris' grandparents, so here was my pick! :) They're super easy to make and will easily satisfy any chocolate & peanut butter lovers, like me!

Cereal Peanut Butter Bars

1 & 1/2 cups crunchy peanut butter (I only had creamy on hand, which works)
2/3 cup maple-flavored or pancake syrup
2/3 cup sugar
3 cups Honey Bunches of Oats Cereal
4 squares semi-sweet chocolate, melted (I used approx. 1/3 bag of choc. chips)

Directions:

-- Microwave peanut butter, syrup and sugar in large microwavable bowl on high 3 minutes, stirring every minute. (I don't think mine took a whole 3 minutes.)

-- Add cereal to large bowl; mix to coat well.

-- Press into greased, foil-lined 13x9-inch pan.

-- Spread melted chocolate evenly over cereal mixture. Let stand or refrigerate until chocolate is firm.

-- Cut into 24 bars. Store in tightly covered container in refrigerator.