Perfectly Soft Sugar Cookies & a Short Peek into ADHD
Sugar cookies
Ingredients:
• 3 cups GF flour
• 3/4 cup almond flour
• 1 1/2 cup sugar
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 2 teaspoons vanilla
• 1 teaspoon almond extract
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 2 sticks butter (room temp)
• 2 eggs
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Combine everything in a bowl except the eggs.
When your mixture is crumbly, add the eggs until it comes together into a dough.
Chill for a half hour whilst bringing your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit/165 Celsius.
Take the dough out of fridge and place onto a flat, and floured surface.
Roll out the dough until it’s 1/4 inch thick, and cut into cookie shapes (with a cookie cutter, jar, etc.) and place on a parchment lined baking sheet.
Bake for 7-9 minutes until lightly golden but not darker than a shortbread. Allow to cool before icing/frosting.
Icing/Frosting is optional! If you choose to make a batch, you’ll need one stick of softened butter for every 1/2lb of powdered sugar used. I usually make a bigger batch with 4 sticks of butter and 2lbs of powdered sugar so that I’ll have some left over for projects later on in the week. You do NOT have to make a batch of this size. For extracts, coloring, or other flavors, I usually add in a teaspoon at a time for smaller batches, or three tablespoons total for my standard batch (2T vanilla, 1/2 T almond extract, and 1/2 T coloring.)
Let’s talk a little bit about A.D.H.D…
ADHD is one of the most commonly diagnosed neuro-developmental disorders of childhood. It is usually first diagnosed in childhood and often lasts into adulthood. Children with ADHD may have trouble paying attention, controlling impulsive behaviors (may act without thinking about what the result will be), or be overly active. If a child is overly active, do not automatically assume that they have ADHD. It is common for children (especially young children) to have a LOT of energy – think about it... They were JUST born into the world and haven’t begun to feel the daily toil that is life. Their existence hasn’t been bogged down by the worries of adulthood yet, so their energy is bound to be in high supply*.
*(This is a joke, childhood trauma occurs often and not every child has the childhood and adolescence they deserve. However, you shouldn’t equate high energy to ADHD as it could just be from not getting enough play time, or being bored/overstimulated with devices. There might be an underlying cause that you’ll want to address first. Of course, talk with your pediatrician to see what they think and to discuss behaviors, physical activity, diet, and developmental patterns)
It is normal for children to have trouble focusing and behaving at one time or another. However, children with ADHD do not just grow out of these behaviors. The symptoms continue, can be severe, and can cause difficulty at school, at home, or with friends.
There are also 3 different types of A.D.H.D.
Predominantly Inattentive Presentation: It is hard for the individual to organize or finish a task, to pay attention to details, or to follow instructions or conversations. The person is easily distracted or forgets details of daily routines.
Predominantly Hyperactive-Impulsive Presentation: The person fidgets and talks a lot. It is hard to sit still for long (e.g., for a meal or while doing homework). Smaller children may run, jump or climb constantly. The individual feels restless and has trouble with impulsivity. Someone who is impulsive may interrupt others a lot, grab things from people, or speak at inappropriate times. It is hard for the person to wait their turn or listen to directions. A person with impulsiveness may have more accidents and injuries than others.
Combined Presentation: Symptoms of the above two types are equally present in the person.
Because symptoms can change over time, the presentation may change over time as well. The diagnosis of A.D.H.D. isn’t limited to only childhood - it is also common to be diagnosed in adulthood, although the symptoms vary from the way children present them. Below you’ll find links to various sources on A.D.H.D. throughout the world that better discuss this topic. Be sure to look over them and to talk with your doctor, counselor, or psychiatrist about these presentations and how CBT or medication may help you or your child.
https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/topics/attention-deficit-hyperactivity-disorder-adhd/index.shtml
https://chadd.org/about-adhd/overview/
https://www.psychiatry.org/patients-families/adhd/what-is-adhd
https://intermountainhealthcare.org/blogs/topics/live-well/2017/03/busting-the-myths-about-adhd/
Social Media:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/baking_ish/
Email: ren@fahrenheitco.com
Baking-ish is a podcast produced and edited by Fahrenheit Co., a U.S. based entity run and organized by Ren Newman.
**I am not a mental health professional. Please talk to a healthcare professional before doing or changing anything within your daily life. These experiences and opinions reflect only my personal experiences.
