Tag Archives: denise wheatley

Time for Something Sweet! Check out Denise Wheatley’s Favorite Sugar Cookie Recipe!

Delicious recipes straight from the kitchens of your favorite Tule authors.

Happy holidays! My name is Denise N. Wheatley, and I am here to share with you one of my favorite dessert recipes—Denise’s Darling Christmas Sugar Cookies. But before I do that, here’s a bit about me:

I love the art of storytelling and happily ever afters, and published my first romance novel in 2004. Since then I have written (and ghostwritten) over twenty books. I signed with Tule Publishing in 2019 and wrote A Fearless Fairytale series, along with two holiday novels, Christmas in Full Bloom and Love at the Icicle Café

The Christmas season is by far my favorite time of the year as I love spending it with family. We gather together to share fond memories while preparing delicious recipes. For me, that’s my beloved sugar cookies. 

My joy of baking inspired Love at the Icicle Café. The book centers around a cozy café known for its savory dishes and delicious desserts. I grew up with a mother who also loved to bake, so writing a story filled with vivid descriptions of yummy treats was an absolute pleasure.

Denise’s Darling Buttercream Frosted Lemon Sugar Cookies

Today I’ll be sharing details on how to prepare these buttercream frosted lemon sugar cookies, topped with red and green sparkling sugar. For this recipe, you’ll need:

Ingredients:

  • 1 cup of unsalted butter, room temperature 
  • 2 cups of sugar
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 teaspoon of pure vanilla extract
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons of lemon extract
  • 1 tablespoon of lemon zest
  • 3 cups of flour
  • 1 1/4 teaspoon of baking powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon of baking soda
  • 1/4 teaspoon of salt
  • Sparkling red and green sugar

How to prepare:

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
  2. In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar for 4 minutes until light and fluffy. Add eggs, vanilla, lemon extract, and lemon zest. Stir to combine.
  3. Stir in flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Mix just until combined.
  4. Chill the dough in the refrigerator for at least an hour
  5. Roll the dough to 1/4 inch thick, cut with holiday-shaped cookie cutters
  6. Place parchment paper on a cookie sheet, then place cookies on top
  7. Bake for 9-11 minutes or until edges are lightly browned

While the cookies are baking, prepare the frosting. Below are the ingredients and instructions:

  • 2 cups of confectionery sugar
  • 1/2 stick of salted butter, room temperature 
  • 2 teaspoons of vanilla extract
  • 2 tablespoons of milk
  1. Mix the ingredients together with a beater until light and fluffy 
  2. Ready to use!

Once your cookies have cooled, ice them, sprinkle the sugar on top, and enjoy!

– Denise

I do hope that you’ll try this recipe during the holiday season and enjoy spending time with your loved ones. If you would like to stay connected with me, here’s how:

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