A yearly Christmas tradition that has been a favorite of mine since I was a little girl is baking homemade sugar cookies with my mom. On Christmas Eve, I used to carefully set out a few with a glass of milk and a letter for Santa, and now I love to share them with family and friends. Baking sugar cookies is time-intensive, so we always use teamwork: mom cuts out the shapes and bakes them, while I am in charge of decorating. By the time the last one is frosted, we are both completely exhausted, but later, when I sit down with a cookie and a mug of coffee or hot cocoa, it’s all worth it. What are your favorite holiday traditions?
Sugar Cookie Cutouts
- 3/4 c. butter or margarine, softened
- 1 c. sugar
- 2 eggs
- 1 tsp. vanilla extract
- 2 3/4 c. all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp. baking powder
- 1/2 tsp. salt
In a mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add vanilla. Combine flour, baking powder, and salt; gradually add to creamed mixture. Chill dough for 1 hour or until easy to handle. On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough to 1/4 inch thickness. Cut with cookie cutters dipped in flour. Using a floured spatula, move cookies to greased baking sheet, placing them 1 inch apart. Sprinkle with sugar before baking if you prefer not to frost them. Bake at 375 degrees for 8-10 minutes.
Frosting
- 3 c. powdered sugar
- 6 Tbsp. butter or margarine, softened
- 1 tsp. vanilla extract
- 2-4 Tbsp. milk or half-and-half
- food coloring (optional)
**Tip: Put frosting in a sandwich bag, cut off the corner and use it as a simple tool for adding details to the cookies!
