Christmas Countdown: Creative Homemade Gifts Part 2

Nothing quite compares to the delight of receiving a bag of homemade cookies; its sure to place a smile upon anyone’s face.  And what we, at Special Events, love most about the humble cookie is how creative you can be in creating your own variation to a good basic recipe… simply adding 100g choc chips, or a sprinkle of spices and chopped nuts, or showing off those icing skills – the possibilities are endless!  So, here is a great basic vanilla cookie recipe; have fun…

Recipe:

125g unsalted butter

125g caster sugar

1 medium egg

1 tsp vanilla essence

250g plain flour

Beat the butter and sugar together until light and creamy.  Mix in the egg and vanilla essence.  Sift the flour and add gradually, beating between each addition.  Knead the dough until smooth, then wrap in cling wrap and let it rest in the fridge for 30 minutes.  Preheat the oven to 180’C/ 350’F.

Roll out the dough on a lightly floured surface to about 4mm thick and using cookie cutters, cut out shapes.  Place on a baking tray lined with wax paper and bake for 10 to 15 minutes until light golden brown.  Allow to cool before decorating.

Don’t forget to do your creative handiwork justice by wrapping it beautifully!  Need some help?  Hop across to our online shop for a variety of packaging and decorating ideas.  Of course, you can always visit the Special Events team at our shop in Ryneveld Street, Stellenbosch for tips… we love the personal contact!