CHRISTMAS SUGAR COOKIES

I make these cookies every year at Christmas; they are my husband's favorite and it always amazes me how I will spend hours decorating them and he spends minutes eating them! This year I made them for my book club. Every year we do a cookie exchange when we meet in December to discuss our book. I love it!

Now I spent all weekend baking so I need to start reading...Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet.

Christmas Sugar Cookies
Makes 3 dozen medium size cutout cookies

Cookie Dough:
1 cup unsalted butter
1 1/2 cups sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon almond extract
4 cups flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup heavy whipping cream

Frosting:
powdered sugar
almond or lemon extract
heavy whipping cream

Make Dough:
Cream butter and sugar together for about 2 minutes. Stir in the eggs, vanilla and almond. In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder and salt. Add the flour mixture into the butter mixture on low stirring seed, alternating with the heavy whipping cream, about 3 times. Divide the dough into two balls and wrap in plastic wrap. Refrigerate overnight.

Roll out and Bake:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line baking sheets with parchment paper.
Flour a smooth surface and roll out the dough to desired thickness. They will rise a little when baked. I usually roll about 1/4 inch thick. Cut out shapes. Bake for about 8 minutes for a medium size cutout. Transfer to a cooling rack and decorate when cooled.

Make Frosting:
The measurements are always different. I usually start with 1/2 bag sugar and add about 4 Tablespoons of heavy cream and 1 Tablespoon of almond extract whisk until desired thickness is achieved. Add more cream if it is too thick or add more sugar if it is too thin. Add food coloring if desired. Frost cookies and decorate...in my house that means a lot of sprinkles and red hots.


PRINTABLE RECIPE