Chewy Sugar Cookies

Adapted from Browned Butter Blondie

I will be using a classic sugar cookie recipe with apple sauce as an egg replacement. I have made this recipe a couple times and want to use the photos to potentially make vector illustrations of the cookies.

Sample photos

source: brown butter blondie source: the girl who ate everything source: Joy Food Sunshine

Recipe Content

Ingredients

  • 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1/2 tsp baking soda
  • 1/2 tsp baking powder
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1 cup of granulated sugar
  • 1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
  • 1/2 cup unsweetened apple sauce
  • 1 tbsp vanilla extract

Optional topping ideas

  • Cinnamon sugar
  • Sprinkles
  • Lemon zest

Instructions

  1. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream together the butter and sugar on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 2 to 3 minutes. Scrape down the sides of the bowl.
  2. Add the apple sauce and mix until well combined.
  3. Add the vanilla and almond extract, mixing on low speed until incorporated. Scrape down the sides of the bowl.
  4. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt. Add the dry ingredients to the butter and egg mixture and mix on low speed for about 20 to 30 seconds just until the dough begins to come together. Do not over mix.
  5. Scoop 2-ounce (3 tablespoons) portions of the cookie dough and use your hands to roll the dough into balls. Roll the dough in a small bowl filled with the 1/4 cup granulated sugar and coat all sides.
  6. Place the cookie dough balls on a parchment lined baking sheet and chill for 30 minutes. While the dough chills, preheat the oven to 350°F. When the dough is chilled, place the balls on a separate parchment lined baking sheet, spacing them 2 to 3 inches apart.
  7. Bake for 11 to 12 minutes or until the edges are set and begin to turn a golden brown. The tops of the cookies should by puffy and cracked. Do not over bake. Remove the cookies from the oven and allow to cool on the baking sheet for 10 minutes before using a spatula to transfer the cookies to a wire cooling rack.

Recipe Websites

Epicurious

The image, title, and difficulty are featured above the fold, making it easier to understand what the recipe is for. Smaller creaters tend to have long introductions that make it difficult to find the actual instructions.

Hot Thai Kitchen

I like the idea of including more recipes on the top as a floating bar. I also liked the clean, minimalist color palette.

Maangchi

I like the two-column approach to include more information in the same amount of space. The website was a little messy and the color palette was a bit overwhelming, but I like how the splash features a video of the instructions for more visual

Design Inspiration

Swab the World

The color palette on Swab the World's website is simple, clean, and colorful. The scroll animations are very seamless and not overwhelming.

Newest Americans

I like the simplistic image treatments, and the fact that the scroll makes it so that only one thing can be on the screen at a time. This could be useful when illustrating different steps of the recipe.

St. Louis Mardi Gras

The simple vector illustrations and color palette make the page look visually clean with high contrast. The flag pole progress bar is also a unique touch.