Never had I had any desire to write about a politician, let alone believe in one. Don’t fret, I won’t stand on my soap box and bore you with my enthusiasm for Barack Obama. Just understand, that I believe, in my politically cynical yet paradoxically hopeful heart, that Mr Obama represents a necessary change for our great country. I believe in his ability to lead us into a better future. I truly do. I like him so much, I made him cookies. Since the man and I are separated by geography as he campaigns, I took the cookies down to his campaign office where volunteers greeted us with open arms. I know… radical political activism.
Note: You can make these sugar cookies for any presidential candidate of your choice. They’ll taste just as good!
Election fever aside, it’s also almost Valentine’s Day. These basic sugar cookies are a great way to show love for your beau, your lady, your friends, or your favorite politician.
Sugar Cookies
I got this recipe here.
3 cups all purpose flour
3/4 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup unsalted butter, softened
1 cup sugar
1 egg, beaten
1 Tablespoon milk
1. Sift together flour, baking powder and salt. Set aside.
2. Beat together butter and sugar in an electric mixer until light in color. Add egg and milk to the mixture and beat until well combined.
3. With the mixer on low speed, gradually add the flour, mixing until the dough pulls away from the sides of the bowl.
4. Divide the dough in half and stain with gel food coloring if desired. Wrap in wax paper and refrigerate for at least 2 hours.
5. Preheat oven to 375.
6. Remove one package of dough from the refrigerator at a time. Sprinkle your work surface and a rolling pin with powdered sugar. Roll the dough to 1/4”, rotating the dough around the work surface, making sure it doesn’t stick.
7. Cut dough into desired shapes and place on a greased cookie sheet, or a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper or a silicone mat. Brush with a bit of beaten egg and milk before sprinkling with sugar in the raw or sanding sugar.
8. Bake for 7-9 minutes, rotating the pan half way through baking. Remove from the oven when cookies have barely started to brown on the edges. If you’re not using a silicone mat or parchment paper, I like to remove the cookies from the pan when they are still very warm. This will ensure they won’t cool and stick to the pan. Just be careful, they’ll be a bit fragile.
You can decorate these beauties any way you’d like. I used sugar in the raw, and a simple powdered sugar glaze- 3 cups powdered sugar and 2-3 Tablespoons of lemon juice or milk. Add more liquid depending on how thick you’d like the glaze. Royal icing is also a great decorating tool.
Cookies are easy to believe in. Politics not so much. But on this day, the two seemed to come together into something, all around, easier to swallow.
Ms. Cook
Looking super yummy!)
megan
joy – these cookies look awesome and i can’t wait to make them.
p.s. way to stand up for what you believe in!
celesul
Huh. Perhaps I’ll follow your lead and bring cookies to the local Obama campaign office this next election. (I worry a bit about his campaign, because while he has proven to be an excellent and capable president, many people seem pissed that he’s not the next FDR. I’ve been pleasantly surprised that he’s done as well as he has, really. Whether I’m damn cynical or merely very aware of history and the somewhat limited power of the president is perhaps debatable).
queena deboever
Sorry I missed this in ’08, but not too late for the 2012 campaign. The cookies are a timeless treat. Thanks, Joy!
Anonymous
adorable cookies! however, i would like to make the statement that obama supports abortion.
Ecochic
Made these cookies, cooling and iced right now.
Had to up the milk in the dough though. Wasn’t quite pliable enough to roll.
Tasted an oops cookie, and they are delish!
kayla
yum! i just made these and they’re the best sugar cookies i’ve ever made. i put a bit more milk than called for in my frosting to make it runnier so i could just hold the cookies facedown by the edges and dip them to cover the fronts, but they didn’t look as clean around the edges as yours. how did you cover yours with frosting?
Dionne
I really like your website Joy! I needed a quick recipe to bring to my daughter’s school tomorrow and came across your blog. Boy did I get more than I bargained for! Politics & Baking. That’s a first! Will keep my eye on your blog. Thanks for the Rice Krispie treats recipe. I am going to stick a popsicle stick in them and wrap them in cellophane.
Ms. Sassy
OMG, those are soooooooooooo cute. I hope you don’t mind me featuring them on my site. If I wasn’t trying to lose weight I would totally make them for me and my parents for V-Day.