You may be a mom. Maybe you’re not. But I’m guessing you had a mom, right? I’m a mom. And what’s generally known about moms is that we have to be prepared for unexpected situations.
From simply carrying extra tissues and ‘gently” reminding to wipe noses, to anticipating and quickly reacting to cars in front of us that abruptly put on their brakes, we throw our protective arm across the chest of our unsuspecting passenger (do you really think it would work?) ensuring our cubs will be protected from foe.
My mom was, and still is, the queen of both of these situations. Just yesterday she reminded me to get my flu shot and update my passport. That’s why I love her. She’s my mom.
But there are some situations we can’t always prepared for. Those sneak attacks our kids purposely disclose at the tipping hour just to keep us on our toes. To let us know we’re not as all-knowing or as on-top-of-our-game as we think we are.
It usually comes down to our child who comes home and says, “Mom, I need to take this and that and such and such to school. Tomorrow.” And it’s 9 o’clock at night. And I’m not in the mood to take care of this situation. And neither is dad. Nor is the dog. Yep, it happens. And yep, we deal.
Between traveling, finishing up the holiday issue of FoodieCrush (I know! Next week!) and working with several of my amazing clients, I’ve been in and out at home and we haven’t had our weekly grocery shopping date. Bless my husband’s heart.
So when Smudge came home and let me know she had been assigned to take cookies to school, and we were out of flour AND eggs (what happened to the weekend Costco run? Ugh.) I was in no mood to traipse to the store to buy the stash, let alone spend my night baking cookies. Not that I don’t have some amazing cookie recipes, it was that I simply had no time.
But I did have refrigerator pie dough. And decorative sugar in several holiday colors. And a few tablespoons of butter. And what I discovered to be my secret ingredient: almond extract.
So we decided to conquered this surprise situation, took a shortcut and made Pie Dough Sugar Cookies. They aren’t perfect, but they aren’t supposed to be. All that matters is we had fun baking them and they passed the Smudge taste test. Hot out of the oven she poured herself a glass of milk, stole away to her cardboard refrigerator fort replete with her One Direction fanzines and ate three cookies as she skillfully shooed the dogs away.
And the best part is she declared our cookies delicious, and no one was the wiser.
Shortcut Pie Dough Sugar Cookies
Ingredients
- 1 roll refrigerator pie dough
- 1 tablespoon melted butter
- ¾ teaspoon almond extract
- decorative sugars
Instructions
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Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a Silpat baking mat. Roll pie dough into a ball and roll out to ¼ thickness. Cut dough with cookie cutters and place on the prepared baking sheet. Add almond extract to melted butter and brush dough with butter.
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Top generously with decorative sugars and bake for 10-12 minutes or until golden. Remove from oven and cool for 10 minutes.
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Kathryn says
December 6, 2012 at 3:08 amThese cookies are so very pretty, so gorgeous and festive with all that sparkling sugar!
Katrina @ Warm Vanilla Sugar says
December 6, 2012 at 5:49 amOh my goodness, these are so fun!! Awesome recipe!
Jess @ Feast with Me says
December 6, 2012 at 7:01 amWow – that must be a mom sort of ingenious idea because I never would have thought to use pie dough like that. I probably would’ve just panicked lol. But these are so cute! Definitely a neat idea for a quick holiday fix :)
P.S. – CANT WAIT FOR THE NEW FOODIECRUSH ISSUE TO COME OUT!!
heidi says
December 6, 2012 at 8:13 amThank you! And the next issue is soooo close! Watch for it next week!
kelley says
December 6, 2012 at 7:09 amWe’re like magicians really. Pulling rabbits out of a hat and beautiful sugar cookies our of our velour robes. Nice work, friend. Smudge needs to come teach my boys her fort making ways!
heidi says
December 6, 2012 at 8:13 amYou are a poet and you don’t even know it. I have a refrigerator box with the boys name written all over it as I would love to have it moved out of our entryway and into yours. 8 year old daughter, One Direction CD and black chihuahua included.
Katrina @ In Katrina's Kitchen says
December 6, 2012 at 7:26 amHellooooooooooooooooo?! Brilliance.
Katie says
December 6, 2012 at 7:34 amOh my heck. WHAT a good idea!? You need an award, mama.
heidi says
December 6, 2012 at 8:11 amHa! An award for patience maybe :)
bridget {bake at 350} says
December 6, 2012 at 7:42 amBrilliant!!!
And, WHY do they always do that to us!?!?
heidi says
December 6, 2012 at 8:11 amIt’s their way of having power over us! The little gremlins.
Maria says
December 6, 2012 at 7:51 amLove seeing cookies over here:) These are so fun! And if Smudge ever needs extra cookies, you know where you can come:)
heidi says
December 6, 2012 at 8:10 amSee, I should have just called you instead of stressing out about it!
Rachel Cooks says
December 6, 2012 at 8:06 amI love you for this!
Averie @ Averie Cooks says
December 6, 2012 at 8:07 amThis is my kind of sugar cookie! Love the shortcut!
Lauren Grier @ (Climbing Grier Mountain) says
December 6, 2012 at 8:33 amOne of my favorite memories from childhood is baking Christmas sugar cookies with my mother. I loved the ceremony of rolling out the dough, whipping up the sugary frosting, and decorating each cookie with sprinkles. The best memories are made in the kitchen for sure.
P.S. Looking forward to your holiday issue!!
Stefanie @ Sarcastic Cooking says
December 6, 2012 at 8:37 amYou are the James Bond of cookie baking my friend! These look so cute.
Holly W says
December 6, 2012 at 8:38 amI’m all for homemade (which I Know you are too), but as moms it’s great to have some tricks up our sleeves for situations like this. Super cute! Looks like you saved the day.
Karista @Karista's Kitchen says
December 6, 2012 at 8:41 amI cannot tell you how many times I have been in that very situation. Great idea Heidi!! But I’d expect nothing less from you :)
[email protected] and My Pink Mixer says
December 6, 2012 at 8:58 amWow – aren’t you the clever one! No late night grocery run, super cute and Smudge loved them – win, win, win :)
P.S. Loved meeting you at Mixed :)
heidi says
December 6, 2012 at 9:39 amYep, avoided it at all costs! It was terrific meeting you. I didn’t tell you, but when I was speaking at Mixed, whenever I felt like people were zoning out I’d look at you and your smile told me someone was. Thank you for that!
Anna @ Crunchy Creamy Sweet says
December 6, 2012 at 9:03 amSo cool! I will need to remember this for cookie emergency!
Ashley @ Wishes and Dishes says
December 6, 2012 at 9:47 amOh shortcuts are so necessary and amazing sometimes! Saving this one for an emergency situation :)
Annalise says
December 6, 2012 at 12:05 pmWhat a fun idea! You are so creative!
Emily says
December 6, 2012 at 1:21 pmWhat a truly ingenious idea!
judithq says
December 6, 2012 at 1:24 pm…sweet story
…….this works for Grandmothers as well.
Roxana | Roxana's Home Baking says
December 6, 2012 at 1:43 pmYou definitely won the prize for the most creative Mom. Cookies out of pie crust! genius!
Alice @ Hip Foodie Mom says
December 6, 2012 at 2:02 pmOMG, LOVE this!!! What a great idea! Brilliant!! Yeah, I’m sure kids would love these and wouldn’t be able to tell the difference! :)
I can’t wait to flip through the Holiday issue. . looks like I can review it now. . should I wait? As always, beautiful work! love it!
Gin says
December 6, 2012 at 7:04 pmI think sugar cookies are just a canvas for amazing frosting and toppings. Dough suits this perfectly. Nice save momma!
Laura (Tutti Dolci) says
December 6, 2012 at 7:05 pmSuch cute cookies, what a fab idea!
Jen @ Savory Simple says
December 6, 2012 at 7:12 pmbeautifully done!
Loretta | A Finn In The Kitchen says
December 10, 2012 at 2:20 pmI’m a mom and I feel this way all the time! And my daughter is still too young to have surprise demands…It’s going to be really interesting. I’m either going to have to get more organized, or things will be a lot crazier. I’m willing to bet on the latter.
Melissa says
December 11, 2012 at 3:40 pmGREAT shortcut idea. My daughter is allergic to eggs and this recipe is an easy way for her to enjoy holiday baking. Thanks!
Chung-Ah | Damn Delicious says
December 11, 2012 at 5:08 pmHeidi, you are so amazing to take a situation and make the best of it! Who knew that pie dough would work out so well with sugar cookies?! I have one pie crust lingering in the freezer so I may just use that up by making these cute little cookies!
Azzina says
December 12, 2012 at 3:46 amBest way to give the perfect shape. Really liked the technique.
Indian veg pizza
Tetsi says
December 10, 2017 at 9:52 amThis is late coming but thought I’d add my two sense for this season! As a child, my favorite treat was the left over pie crust that my mom would cinnamon and sugar and bake right up! Now as a mom myself I have done this numerous times but have never thought to take it to the next level with cut outs! Such a great idea!
Peggy Rizzo says
December 13, 2017 at 3:42 amHi,
Just wondering if vanilla extract would work in place of almond? Does the dough need to be re-rolled? I was going to use the kind that is round and you unroll that…?
Thank you so much and thank you for a wonderful idea!! My son gave me cookie cutters for Christmas last year…they are on the larger side and I am having the hardest time finding and making a sugar cookie that doesn’t expand even larger (regardless of what I do!) — I think this will be a life saver!! I have to use those cutters!! I’m sure as a mom you totally understand ; )
Thank you again
Peggy