12 Days Of Christmas Coookies: Decorated Sugar Cookies

This morning I awoke at 4am. (Well, technically my alarm went off at 3:45 am and I laid there next to the HH for 15 minutes). I quickly decided today was the day to bake sugar cookies.  I have been using the same recipe (and book) for the last 15 years.  Recipe books are funny aren’t they?  We tend to cling to them… and for what?  Our 3 favorite recipes?  It’s kinda silly when you think about it.  But then again, maybe we hang on to them with the hopes of someday finding just one more recipe in there.  After all… In a book with over 1,000 recipes… there has to be at least more than 3 good ones in there… right?

Ingredients:

2 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter softened
1 cup sugar
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 tablespoons milk

Stir together the dry ingredients.  In an electric  mixer (I use my KitchenAid) cream the cutter and sugar until light. then add egg, vanilla and milk and beat well.  Add the dry ingredients a little at a time and mix until well blended.  Divided the dough in half and wrap the dough separately in Saran Wrap and chill at least 30 minutes before rolling out on to a floured surface.

Pre-heat the oven to 375º.  On a lightly floured board, roll out 1 piece of the dough about 1/8 thick and cut out with cookie cutter shapes.  Place on parchment lined baking sheets (I use silpats) and bake for 8-9 minutes .  Cool on racks.  Decorate with icing.  Eat yummy cookies.  This recipe has been slightly adapted from The Martha Stewart Cookbook: Collected Recipes for Every Day.

Martha Stewart Cookbook: Collected Recipes for Every Day.