Sugar Cookies

Baking always seems to put me in the Christmas Spirit. When I was a kid you knew Christmas was near when the decorative tins showed up at your house filled with an amazing amount of sugary treats from hard candy to homemade fudge. Something that always goes quickly in our house (usually before we can get them frosted) are sugar cookies! If you have the cookie cut outs shaped like Christmas Trees, Angels or Santa it makes it even more fun but if you have a hard time justifying all that work for such quick consumption a simple cookie shape does the same job.

For frosting I always cheat and get it at the store but you can make an easy frosting by mixing confectioners sugar and milk to the thickness you want. (Thicker: add more sugar. Thinner: more milk!) Of course you must decorate them with sprinkles and add food coloring to make them extra festive! (You can skip frosting all together and just do sprinkles and sugar!)


Try this recipe below!

Ingredients

* 1 1/2 cups butter, softened
* 2 cups white sugar
* 4 eggs
* 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
* 5 cups all-purpose flour
* 2 teaspoons baking powder
* 1 teaspoon salt

Directions

1. In a large bowl, cream together butter and sugar until smooth. Beat in eggs and vanilla. Stir in the flour, baking powder, and salt. Cover, and chill dough for at least one hour (or overnight).
2. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Roll out dough on floured surface 1/4 to 1/2 inch thick. Cut into shapes with any cookie cutter. Place cookies 1 inch apart on ungreased cookie sheets.
3. Bake 6 to 8 minutes in preheated oven. Cool completely.