Surprise the kids on their first day back at school with these fun and cute Apple Sugar Cookies with a yummy gummy worm candy!
The kids will be heading back to school before you know it, and I’m literally cringing as I type this. I hate to admit that the lazy days of summer are almost over. Time passes way too quickly! I love summertime, but have to admit that the fall season is my favorite!
Especially now as I sit here fanning my eight month pregnant body. The cooler weather sounds so welcoming. I’m at the point where I can’t even imagine ever wanting to put on a coat. The thoughts of it are actually revolting to me. I could probably live in the North Pole right now with nothing but the clothes on my back and be just fine. 🙂
But, I’m glad that I don’t call that place my home, because the apples on our backyard trees here are turning a gorgeous color, and I would hate to miss out on partaking of them. We’ll probably have moved before we get to, anyway. 🙁 It’s also the first year that our peach trees produced. Karma at its finest.
Oh well. I guess I’ll have to make frequent trips to the Farmer’s Market to satisfy my fresh fruit cravings.
But, enough of this healthy talk. It’s overrated. 🙂
Today’s Apple Cookies are certainly not nutritious, but I can promise that they are completely delicious and will put a big smile on the kids’ faces when they jump off the big yellow bus.
A soft (Lofthouse-Style) sugar cookie base with a creamy cherry red frosting, candy leaves, pretzel stems, and gummy worms, this treat epitomizes what children yearn to eat after removing their backpacks for the day!
My mom used to have a fun snack waiting for us every day after school. I used to get so excited to burst through the front door and see what it was. I’ll admit that the sugary variety was my favorite. She’d often make Chocolate Chip Cookies or even the occasional Pound Cake. But there was always something for us kids to enjoy after a long day of bookwork, bells, and popularity contests. Those afternoon pick-me-ups really gave me something to look forward to.
{APPLE SUGAR COOKIES}
For the cookies:
2 eggs
1 1/2 c. sugar
1/2 c. shortening
1/2 c. butter, softened
1 Tbsp. vanilla (yes, that’s one tablespoon)
4 c. all-purpose flour
4 tsp. baking powder
3/4 tsp. salt
2/3 c. milk
Straight pretzels, broken
In the bowl of an electric mixer, cream together eggs, sugar, shortening, butter and vanilla. In a separate bowl, stir together flour, baking powder and salt. Add half the dry mixture to wet mixture and mix. Add 1/3 c. milk and mix. Add the rest of the flour mixture and mix. Add the final 1/3 c. milk and mix until incorporated. Cover mixing bowl with plastic wrap and allow dough to chill for at least an hour in the fridge.
Roll dough into balls and place on an ungreased cookie sheet, 2″ apart. Bake at 375 degrees Fahrenheit for 7 to 9 minutes. Don’t overbake! Soon after removing cookies from oven, while they are still warm, insert a broken straight pretzel (the size of an apple stem) into the top of each. Allow to cool on the sheets for a few minutes before removing to a cooling rack. Store in an airtight container until ready to frost.
For Frosting:
1/2 cup butter, softened
3 1/2 cups powdered sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
4 tsp. Cherry Jell-o mix (dry, straight from the packet)
A few splashes of milk, added until creamy
Red gel food coloring
Green candy for leaves (I used Airheads)
Gummy Worms
Cream together butter, powdered sugar, vanilla, and Jell-o mix. Add milk, 1 Tbsp. at a time, until the consistency is nice and creamy, but not runny. Add food coloring gel and continue to cream together until desired color is reached. I like the gel because it has a greater color concentration and doesn’t make the frosting runny.
Frost cookies, then add candy leaves and gummy worms cut in half. I smashed the Airheads in my hand until they were thinner, then placed them on a plate and with a sharp, small knife, cut out the shape of leaves.
I get giddy over all the bright colors of back to school supplies, don’t you? I can’t wait to stock up on pretty, yellow No. 2 pencils, sharp crayons and clean notebooks. How about you?
I’m also getting anxious to eat these Apple Cookies again. They are scrumptious! They’d be a perfect gift for teachers, all packaged up in a cellophane bag and tied with some baker’s twine.
Happy Back to School! I hope it goes smoothly for you and your kiddos!
SINEA from Ducks 'n a Row