Meeting friends and family is always fun. Its more fun, if it involves some travel, there by making it all the more special. And if you are travelling with some of your blogging friends, to meet some more blogging friends – then that’s extra special.

BM 25 Meet was one of its kind and though it’s almost 2 months since then, I am still reliving the memories again and again.

I wanted to give some edible gifts for everyone and I wanted something that can be made at least 3-4 days in advance. I was planning on baking cakes, but then dropped the idea as it was not something that can be packed ahead. So after racking my brains a lot, I came up with cookies (Ah, well, actually my friend suggested cookies). And so cookies it was!

So, if you too, want to make an edible gift to someone, choose cookies! The dough can be made ahead and frozen, if you want to. The cookies can be packed ahead (be very careful since these crumble easily), there by giving you enough time to panic over your other items to be packed. These colourful sugar cookies would be perfect for Christmas as well.

Check out what other participants are serving for the month-long marathon at Valli’s Blogging Marathon Page.

Recipe Source: Chewy Sugar Sprinkle Cookies

Makes: around 2 dozen small cookies

Ingredients:

• All purpose Flour       :       2 cups
• Baking Powder           :       1/2 tsp (1/2 tsp more, if replacing eggs)
• Salt                               :        a pinch
• Butter                           :       200gm (2 sticks)
• Sugar, granulated      :       1 cup
• Egg*                              :       1
• Vanilla Essence          :        2 tsp
• Sprinkles                      :       1/2 cup

*I substituted egg with 1/2 tsp baking powder and 1-2 tbsp. of milk.

Method:

1. In a big bowl, beat the softened butter with the sugar until light and fluffy. Add the egg and vanilla and beat till its combined.
2. Whisk the flour,salt and baking powder in a separate bowl and add this to the butter mix. Beat for a minute with mixer or mix with a wooden spoon till it forms into a dough. Add half the sprinkles to the dough and mix.* If you are not using the egg, you might have to add a tbsp. or two of milk for some dough to come together.
3. Refrigerate the dough for about 2 hours (max 5 days).
4. Preheat the oven to 180 C/350F. Take about 1.5 table spoons of dough and flatten it a bit using your hand. Press some of the sprinkles on top of it. Place this in a baking tray lined with parchment paper. Repeat with the rest of the dough and place them in the tray, leaving about 2″ space between the cookies.
5. Bake one batch at a time, for about 10 minutes, keeping an eye on it after about 7 minutes, as they burn fast.
6. Let them sit in the tray for 5 minutes and move to a cooling rack till firm. Keep these stored in an airtight container.

*Note: I tried pulsing the sprinkles, it wasn’t a good idea with the locally available sprinkles as the colour leeched all over and I ended up with green cookies!

This recipe is off to Vardhini’s Bake Fest, hosted this month by Sowmya of Nivedhanam