It is officially Memorial Day Weekend which means summer is right around the corner!  Even though it’s practically summer all year long in Miami, there is something special about Memorial Day that makes me want to break out in a summer bake-a-thon.  That’s why this week’s Saturday Sweets is a fun Red, White, and Blue treat to help get everyone into the spirit of the weekend. 

It’s a perfect addition to any BBQ you may be attending this weekend and a wonderful way to thank our Veterans or loved ones who are serving our great country.  It’s also a fun recipe to keep in mind for the 4th of July which will be here in the blink of an eye!

Ingredients:

For the Cookie Dough:

·       1.5 sticks of butter at room temperature (I always use salted butter when baking)

·       1 cup sugar

·       1 egg plus 1 extra yolk

·       1.5 tsp vanilla

·       2 ¼ cup flour

·       1 tsp baking powder

·       ¼ tsp salt (if using salted butter this is optional)

·       1/3 cup red, white, and blue M&Ms

For the Icing:

·       1 stick butter at room temperature

·       1 tsp vanilla

·       3 cups powdered sugar

·       2-3 tbsp milk (but water works just as well)

·       Extra sprinkles and M&Ms for topping and decoration

Directions:

Cookie Dough:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 10” tart pan or pie dish with non-stick baking spray, and set aside.
With a mixer, cream together the butter and sugar until creamy and fluffy. Add the egg and yolk, and vanilla. Mix until combined.

·       In a separate bowl whisk together flour, baking powder and salt. 

·       Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients.  Dough will be thick and slightly stiff.

·       Fold in M&Ms and mix until just combined.

·       Evenly press the dough into the tart pan and bake for 25-30 minutes until the top is lightly browned.  Remove from oven and allow to cool completely.

Now for the frosting:

·       Using a mixer cream together the butter and vanilla for 3 to 5 mins to ensure fluffy frosting.

·       Gradually add the powdered sugar and continue mixing, slowly add in milk (or water) until all is mixed together leaving it in a nice thick consistency.

·       Fill piping bag or large Ziploc bag with icing using an icing tip (I tend to lean toward a Wilton 1M – easily found at Michael’s Craft Stores for $.99).

·       Pipe a simple border around the Cookie Cake and decorate with extra candies

·       Cut into slices and enjoy!

This colorful recipe is a great way to get kids into the kitchen to help.  There are few kids I know who wouldn’t love to decorate a big cookie with M&Ms and sprinkles with the promise of getting to chow down on it once it’s done!  Hope you enjoy your summer baking! 

Happy Memorial Day!

(Recipe adapted from Erin Fink of Delightful E Made)