4-H has long been built on traditions, from the pledge to the projects, state fair, positive youth development, and finding or creating sparks. At the same time it excels at innovation with the STEM girls, robotics, and riding the technological highway. With the onset of Covid and the restrictions surrounding it both have been vitally important to keeping our programming available to our youth. My challenge this year for the holidays is to start a tradition to build community spirit, a sense of emotional wellbeing while maintaining social distance.
Here are some ideas to get you started:
Do a neighborhood cookies exchange. Make a flyer setting a date and time and pass it out to the people in your community. On the designated time bake cookies and place a few in several Ziploc bags. Place them on a tray on you porch, driveway, or front lawn. Leave an empty tray next to it. Walk your neighborhood dropping off your cookies and collecting them from each other. Make sure to include a personal note with each bag. Maybe explaining a family tradition you will be missing this year, or a happy message about something uplifting. Below are some of my favorite cookie recipes.
Do the same thing with handmade cards or ornaments.
Sour cream sugar cookies
2 cups sugar
1 cup sour cream
3 eggs
1 cup butter flavor Crisco/butter/or margarine (I use butter)
2 teaspoons baking powder
2 teaspoons soda
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 teaspoon lemon/almond/or vanilla
¼ teaspoon salt
Mix sugar, sour cream, eggs, and shortening until fluffy. Add baking powder, soda, vanilla and other flavoring and salt. Mix. Add flour and mix completely. Chill for at least an hour. Roll to a ¼ inch thick, cut into shapes and bake at 350 degrees for 10 to 12 minutes. Until just slightly brown on the edges. Cool and frost.
Soft & Thick Snickerdoodles
- 3 cups all-purpose flour(spoon & leveled)
- 2 teaspoons cream of tartar*
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 and 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
- 1 and 1/3 cup granulated sugar
- 1 large egg + 1 large egg yolk, at room temperature
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
Topping
- 1/3 cup granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C). Line two large cookie sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats (always recommendedfor cookies). Set aside.
- Make the topping:Combine the granulated sugar and cinnamon together in a small bowl. For the holidays I always use red and green sugar to mix with the cinnamon.
- Make the cookies: Whisk together the flour, cream of tartar, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt together in a medium bowl.
- In a large bowl using a hand mixer or stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the butter and granulated sugar together on high speed until smooth and creamy, about 2 minutes. Add the egg, egg yolk, and vanilla extract. Beat on medium-high speed until combined. Scrape down the sides and up the bottom of the bowl with a rubber spatula as needed. With the mixer running on low speed, slowly add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients in 3 different parts. The dough will be thick.
- Roll cookie dough into balls, about 1.5 Tablespoons of cookie dough each. I recommend this cookie scoop. Roll the dough balls in cinnamon-sugar topping. Sprinkle extra cinnamon-sugar on top if desired. Arrange 3 inches apart on the baking sheets.
- Bake cookies for 10 minutes. The cookies will be very puffy and soft. When they are still very warm, lightly press down on them with the back of a spoon or fork to help flatten them out. Allow cookies to cool on the baking sheet for 10 minutes and transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Cookies remain soft & fresh for 7 days in an airtight container at room temperature.
Check out these 4-H traditions:
https://washington.extension.wisc.edu/files/2013/10/3.-4-H-traditions.pdf
And these innovation ideas:
https://www.pinterest.com/national4h/4-h-science-technology/
Post Brought to you by:
Lisa M. Shrout
4-H Program Educator
