Cutting out sugar cookies and decorating was a major event in our house in the days leading up to Christmas. I still have many of the old cookie cutters including favorites like the Christmas tree and the reindeer. You can keep small children happily occupied for hours making these. And they will want to do again next year and for the next 50 years. It is an essential part of Christmas.
The best recipe I ever used was on the inside of a Land O Lakes butter box. I don’t have that anymore, but this one from their website purports to be an old one. Others add flavoring like orange juice or almond extract, but these are fine.
Lots of sprinkles, food coloring and icing are needed for the decorations.
Ingredients
1 cup butter, softened
1 cup sugar
1/4 cup milk
1 large egg
1 teaspoon vanilla
3 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
Directions:
Combine butter and sugar in bowl. Beat at medium speed, scraping bowl often, until creamy. Add milk, egg and vanilla. Continue beating until well mixed. Add flour and baking powder; beat at low speed until well mixed. Cover; refrigerate 1 hour or until firm. Heat oven to 375°F.
Roll out dough on lightly floured surface, one-half at a time (keeping remaining dough refrigerated), to 1/8-inch thickness. Cut with assorted 2-inch cookie cutters. Place 1 inch apart onto ungreased cookie sheets. Bake 5-7 minutes or until edges are lightly browned. Cool completely.
Frost and decorate cooled cookies as desired.