Thursday, December 03, 2009

It's all about the sugar cookie...


I'm participating in Scrappy Jessi's cookie exchange today. I cannot wait to see all the yummy posts!! In my mind you cannot beat a holiday sugar cookie. It's absolute perfection. It combines several of my favorite things: family tradition, baking, decoration and sugar. You really can't beat it!I made them with my sister and my parents every Christmas my entire life and now my kids and my sisters kids share in that tradition and we make them together. Priceless.The kids like to really load them up!Here is the recipe that we've always used...

Sugar Cookies

1/2 c. butter

1/2 c. shortening

1 c. white sugar

2 eggs

2 tsp. vanilla

2 1/2 - 3 c. sifted white flour

3/4 tsp. baking powder

1 tsp. salt

Mix the butter, shortening and sugar together. Add eggs and vanilla and mix well. Slowly add mixed dry ingredients.
Cover, and chill dough for at least two hours (or overnight).
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. Decorate!!
Bake 6 to 8 minutes in preheated oven. Cool completely.


Some cookie inspiration from flickr.


Can't wait to see what you've all been baking.
Thanks for stopping by!

20 comments:

SewSweetStitches said...

Awww what an precious photo of your girls! Memories *sniff*

Heather said...

Here Here to the power of the sugar cookie!!!

We've done the same in our family :)

snowbear said...

Kari that is one of the memories I have of Christmas. My 16 year old has been asking to make sugar cookies... I must get busy! The best are the ones with the frosting on them...it makes them a little softer .. but they must sit for at least one day first... yum!

I am going to check out the cookie exchange.... that sounds fun!! Looks like you enjoyed the baking with the girls... :)

Audrey said...

Those are awesome and what sweet pictures of the kids. There is nothing like sharing a time honored family tradition!!

Audrey
aka AudreyGardenLady

Dianne said...

This is a sweet post. I did make some again last year. I thought since I now have a granite counter, the dough wouldn't stick, but the lights overhead were probably warming the dough up too much. I managed to make a bunch and they were good.
I think these are a classic Christmas cookie-thanks for sharing! Happy Holidays!!

Jessi Nagy said...

Hey love bug,
aaawww so sweet.
i love me some sugar cookies.
love all the memories your building.

Anonymous said...

Hey chickadee! I love the cookies your kids did! so cute and special! I cant wait to have kids so I can do this with them! big hugs

toodles
Sarah

Sarah K. said...

Those cookies look so great!

Valerie said...

Love this post of beautiful children making such great, piled high with sugar and frosting sugar cookies.

What a fun family tradition!

mendytexas said...

Ahh...look at the little ones making the sugar cookies...great memories!! Love that cookie! Have fun at the swap today! :)mendy

Jane said...

Sugar cookies are the best! Love those decorations - so colorful! We've always made them too, one of my earliest memories from childhood - sugar cookies & gingerbread boys!
Jane - Jacksonville

Stephanie O. said...

Loved reading your post as it brought back sweet memories of my kids decorating Christmas cookies when they were littler...I'm gathering such great recipes today. Nothing better than spending the evening @ a cookie party--and it has zero calories!!

Cheryl said...

I posted my sugar cookie recipe as well. Nothing is sweeter than seeing cookies made by children. I wouldn't want to eat them mind you lol... but nothing is sweeter!
~Cheryl

Contessa Kris said...

YumYumYum! My mouth is watering! I want to make cookies with the girls soon. We may just use your recipe. Thanks!

Do you have a favorite frosting recipe?

Dana Barbieri said...

Is the year of color starting again in 2010? Just read about you in Artful Blogging. Lovely work. Thanks.

Sheila Rumney said...

One of our favorite cookies at Christmas is the sugar cookie... the more sugar sprinkles the better!

Joanna {sweet finds} said...

Cute cookies & kids.
I made sugar cookies last year for the exchange. Had my God-daughter come over a help. It was fun.
Happy Holidays, Joanna

KayEllen said...

How fun!!

Love to make cookies with my kids too!!Mine are teens now but we still enjoy our decorating cookie time.

So nice to meet you :)
Thank you for sharing!

Blessings to you~~~
KayEllen

Scrap It Swanky Sister said...

That is so sweet! It's so much fun making those precious memories! Thanks for sharing!

Melissa Taylor said...

You're making me hungry!

Melissa
www.imaginationsoup.net