Winter Cookies {photo documentation and a gift idea}

This past week we made sugar cookies.  It's a tradition I loved with my mom growing up and wanted to continue the creative process with my daughter.  Aunt Brittany helped with the baking and below you can follow along with the whole messy process...

Before Baking.

After Baking.

Waiting to be decorated until tomorrow.

The recipe above is what I used, but I think since I used almond milk instead of regular it prevented the frosting from fully mixing properly.  It has little white specs in it as you might notice below, I would use regular milk next time.

I have a few of these wonderful non-toxic sprinkles, that I've collected over the past few years.

*editor's note: Like anything else, it can be difficult to make a more environmentally responsible switch when the cost of the better product is so overwhelming.  Each one of these lovely sprinkles is about $5 and can be found here.  So, I made the switch slowly.  I kept all my old sprinkles, dyed with who-knows-what and as they ran out, I replaced them with these natural ones.  

It's the same advice I give to families who are considering cloth diapering.  You don't have to do it all at once!  It would be so overwhelming to make such a huge change, when you're already in a routine.  But, maybe, use cloth at night {less likely for baby to poop}.  Its the longest time period for the baby to have a chemical free bottom.  Then, as you get more comfortable integrate them in more frequently, you can add more cloth time and less disposable.  Keep your stash of disposables and use them when necessary.  Some environmental contentious change is better than none.  And It's the same for switching to a paperless kitchen.  You don't have to get rid of paper towels.  Keep a secret stash so you can clean up too gross of messes with those, or when your laundry didn't get done.  But, by slowly adding to your collection of cloth towels and using them instead of paper, you'll make progress.  And that's how it is with everything in our home.  We're making slow shifts in the way we shop as to not destroy our budget, but to allow for gradual environmental responsibility and overall health.  Hopefully, this extra information will allow for you to consider a similar path to Organic, Healthy, Environmentally friendly products.*

Note to self; I thought the parchment paper would help contain the mess.

It did not. 

Above: the finished cookies!

As for the cookie recipe itself, here's what I used...
1 1/2 cups softened butter
2 cups organic coconut or raw sugar
4 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 1/2 cups organic whole wheat flour
2 1/2 cups organic white flour
1 teaspoon salt

bake at 400* F for 6-8 minutes.

I also made these for my nephews by cutting the above recipe in half and fitting into the larger ball jars.  I added a unique cookie cutter for each.  {I modified and added chocolate chips and brown sugar to the one on the left}

Happy Baking and Gift Giving!

You can also follow along on Twitter, Pinterest, Facebook, and Tumblr!