Thursday, December 19, 2013

Sugar Cookies


When I was in elementary school, my parents gave me a set of My Little Pony cookie cutters one year for Christmas.  It came with a sugar cookie recipe, and every year since, I've made sugar cookies with that recipe on Christmas Eve.  Of course, the first few years, they were pony-shaped cookies covered in multi-colored frosting that I'd leave out for Santa.  Now, I make traditional holiday shapes, and I don't always use frosting.  Just a sprinkling of sugar or sprinkles makes them just as delicious and perfectly festive.  Sometimes I sprinkle them with a little cinnamon in addition to the sugar to make them taste more like snickerdoodles.  Yum!

I haven't made these cookies yet this year, but next week on Christmas Eve, my kitchen will be cookie making central.  Start your own holiday tradition with this easy and delicious recipe.  They're perfect for Santa or (my favorite) a breakfast treat on Christmas morning!





Sugar Cookies
Makes 2-3 dozen (depending on the size of your cookie cutters)

Ingredients:
3/4 c butter, softened (room temp)
1 c sugar (+ extra for sprinkling on top of the cookies)
2 eggs (beaten)
1/2 tsp vanilla
2 1/4 c flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt


Method: 
Mix the first four ingredients in a large bowl. 

Sift the last three ingredients in a separate bowl.

Combine the dry ingredients with the wet ingredients.

Put the bowl in the refrigerator for at least an hour.  (You can do these steps a day ahead and make the cookies the next day.)

Preheat oven to 400.

Line cookie sheets with parchment paper.

Slightly flour the counter or another smooth/clean surface.

Remove about a quarter of the dough from the bowl and refrigerate the remaining dough.

Roll out the dough until it's about 1/4 inch thick.

Use cookie cutters to cut out your favorite shapes.

Transfer cookies to baking sheets and bake until slightly golden around the edges.  This could be anywhere from 4-8 minutes depending on your oven.  Mine only takes 4 minutes.

Repeat until all dough has been turned into cookies!

If you want to frost the cookies, wait until they're completely cooled.  If you want perfectly pretty cookies without the frosting, check out my craft blog, www.prettycreativestuff.com, for a simple alternative.


Happy eating!





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