Fall Baking with Friends

 I haven’t made much time for a fun friends get-together this fall. And I wanted to switch up the regular “let’s get lunch!” kind of outing to something fun and hands-on at home! Queue: baking and decorating fall themed cookies in my kitchen.

Prepping for Cookie Baking at Home

Of course I tidied the house, lit a couple fall scented candles and Matt and I both cleaned the kitchen before Emily and Veronika arrived. I picked up some sparkling wine and orange juice for mimosas (should’ve gotten some snacks, mental note for next time.)

Emily was the one prepared with most of the cookie supplies–she pre-prepared the sugar cookie dough from scratch with a family recipe, brought over the cookie cutters and other tools/utensils for cookie decorating. I picked up the frosting ingredients–margarine, powdered sugar and milk and Veronika brought over extra flour.

Since Emily is a baking pro, she managed the frosting making, rolling the dough and overseeing our cookie work. Veronika and I had fun placing the various fall-themed cookie cutters into the dough–there were pumpkin shapes, leaves of different sizes, acorns and even a turkey leg cookie cutter.

Veronika and Emily are much more skilled and patient when it comes to cookie decorating and I just made a mess, but it was still a fun activity outside of going to a restaurant or sitting at someone’s house with nothing to do. We’ll do this next month too hopefully!

Holiday Cookie Baking Supplies

Cookie cutters make all the difference in themed sugar cookies and I love this 12 piece cookie cutter set with a tree, stocking, snowman, snowflake and more.

I also always have sprinkles on hand like this holiday sprinkle package with all the sprinkles you need.

To make life a little easier and skip making frosting, you can purchase cookie icing, specifically made to decorate cookies with ease.

I’ve bought special holiday bags to package up the sugar cookies in the past and will get these ones next.

Sugar Cookie Recipes

Since Emily’s sugar cookie is recipe is a family recipe, I thought I’d share a links to a few other recipes to consider to recreate something similar with you friends.

This sugar cookie recipe sounds almost like Emily’s family recipe with soft, thick centers and flat, perfect for decorating.

For a slightly healthier version, check out my friend Ashley’s whole grain sugar cookie recipe with less butter and sugar.