Christmas Sugar Cookies

Throughout my childhood, the first of December meant making holiday goodies. My sisters and mom gathered around the kitchen for hours and baked every sweet imaginable. This year we are all in different cities and states but my mom still wanted to continue on with the tradition. As a result, we are each baking goodies and traveling many hours home this weekend. Once we are home we will engage in our "Holiday Swap". My contribution will be sugar cookies. This recipe has been in my family for as long as I can remember and turns out perfect and delicious year after year. This recipe yields around 3 dozen sugar cookies.

Ingredients:

1 cup butter, at room temperature                   

1 cup sugar

¼ cup whole milk                                                

1 egg

1 tsp. vanilla                                                

3 cup all purpose flour

½ tsp. baking powder

Directions:

Combine butter and sugar in large mixer bowl.  Beat at medium speed, scraping the bowl often, until creamy.  Add the milk, egg, and vanilla.  Continue mixing.  Reduce speed to low.  Add flour and baking powder; beat until well mixed.  Cover; refrigerate until firm (1 hr.) Heat oven to 375 degrees.  Roll out dough on lightly floured surface.  Cut out cookies and place on cookie sheets lined with parchment paper.  Bake 5-8 minutes or until edges are browned.  Cool completely then frost with Powdered Sugar Glaze.

Powdered Sugar Glaze

Ingredients:

2 ½ cup powdered sugar                     

 5 Tb. water

1 Tb. light corn syrup                                                                                                                                1 Tb. Butter

½ tsp. almond extract                                                                                                                         food coloring

Directions:

Combine all ingredients in small bowl – mix at medium speed until powdered sugar is moistened. Tint with food coloring if desired and frost the cookies. Let stand until frosting hardens.  Can be stored in freezer with wax paper between the layers. Enjoy!