After many years and too many different recipes for Christmas sugar cookies, I have finally found one that I think makes the quintessential Christmas cutout cookies. This is a synthesis of many recipes from both my grandmothers and others I have come across on Food Network and other cooking websites. Making Christmas cookies takes me back to when my own mother used to let my sister and I decorate our own cookies to get into the Christmas spirit! I hope you have as much fun making these as I do!
You will need
Cookies:
4 cups of flour
2 teaspoons baking power
2 teaspoons cream of tartar
1 1/2 cups sugar
3/4 cups unsalted butter, softened
2 teaspoons vanilla
2 eggs
1-2 tablespoons whole milk
Holiday cookie cutters
Extra flour
Icing:
1 cup confectioner’s sugar
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
3+ tablespoons of heavy whipping cream
Directions:
1.Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. In a medium bowl stir together the flour, baking powder and cream of tartar.
2. Next, cream together (using an electric mixer) the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Make sure your butter is softened at room temperature (if its not, put the sticks in the microwave in 10 second intervals until it is lightly squishy). Add the vanilla, the eggs, and the whole milk one at a time beating well after each.
3. In small increments, add the flour mixture to the sugar mixture, stirring and folding in the flower with a wooden spoon until the batch becomes a dense, firm dough.
4. Now, you can either store your dough for another day, or begin the cookie process! If your dough is slightly sticky, you can wrap it in plastic wrap and chill it in the fridge for 30-45 minutes. If you’re ready to get cutting, sprinkle flour over a clean, smooth surface and on a wooden rolling pin and roll out the dough (you can cut it in thirds if your space is small like mine) until it is an even 1/4 inch thickness throughout.
5. Cut out your preferred shapes and put them on a non-greased cookie sheet. Pop them in the oven for 5-10 minutes. You can tell whether they are finished if the very bottom edges turn golden. The top of the cookie should remain relatively the same color.
Once your cookies are done and fully cooled, we can begin the icing!
1. In a medium bowl, pour in your confectioners sugar and vanilla.
2. Add the whipping cream 1 tablespoon at a time, beating with an electric mixer after each one. Once it becomes a creamy paste, or your desired consistency, you are ready to decorate!
You can even get fancy and pipe your frosting on!
xoxo Em
