As a Mom, I've made sure my kids have grown up with many different memories and traditions, some as simple as holiday cookies. When the children were all younger I had no idea if the energy and love I poured into the crafts, games, learning experiences, trips, cookies and things made any real difference but once the kids were older, I knew it did. They told me. And continue to tell me, and continue to 'make sure' Santa comes to (and I quote) "poor, starving, college students" or that the Easter bunny will remember them, or I'm going to make their favorite goodies or cookies for the holidays.
I don't really love baking and cutting out sugar cookies, but I did it. Every holiday and usually at least once a month even when there no holidays, you would find cute, cut out cookies. Frogs, ice cream cones, football helmets, dinosaurs... even fish. Something fun. And they loved them!
So this week is my "Easter" cookie week. I hope it is in your house too. If you are short on time, just make the dough on one day and refrigerate it. Bake the cookies another day and pop them in the freezer for decorating on a third day. By breaking it into little time frames, it's easy to fit them into busy schedules.
Sugar Cookies (or Cut Out Cookies)
1.5 c butter, soft
2 c white sugar
1 c powdered sugar
4 eggs
2 t vanilla
5 c flour
2 t baking powder
1 t salt
Cream the butter and sugar until smooth. Beat in eggs and vanilla. Stir in the flour, baking powder and salt. Cover and chill dough for an hour or up to as long as overnight. Preheat oven to 400. Roll dough on lightly floured surface. Cut. Place on ungreased cookie sheets. Bake 6-7 minutes for a semi chewy cookie and 8-9 for a more crisp. Cool completely. Can be frozen after cooling until you want to decorate at a later time.
Sugar Cookies
1 1/2 c granulated sugar
1 1/2 c butter, soft
2 eggs
2 tablespoons vanilla extract
4 c flour
1 t baking soda
1 t cream of tartar
1 t salt
Combine sugar and butter, beat until creamy with your electric mixer. Add eggs and vanilla. Beat well. Add dry ingredients and mix until blended. Chill dough until it's easy to work with; 30-60 minutes.
On lightly floured surface roll the dough to 1/4 inch thickness. Cut out cookies. Bake at 350 until the edges just start to turn golden brown, about 10 minutes. Cool on wire racks. Frost.
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