Christmas Cut -Out Sugar Cookies with Icing

Cut-out sugar cookies have always been a Christmas tradition for me, my entire life. As a child, I remember the excitement of helping my mom roll out the dough and the independence I felt when she let me decorate the cookies all by myself! I love the fact that I have kept this tradition with my own children.

I’ve used this cookie recipe for the past 15 years and the icing recipe for about 3 years. I’ve tried many different types of frostings and icings on my sugar cookies but I like this one because it’s easy to ice with a knife and yet the icing will settle and fill in where it needs to. It dries nicely so I can stack the cookies without them sticking to each other. For extra protection, you can always put wax paper in between each layer (but make sure they are dry, first!) It’s quite a sticky icing, so using a bag and tips may be a bit challenging. You can dip the cookies into the icing or use a brush to “paint” the cookies but my preferred method is with a knife.

These are great to make ahead of any holiday gatherings. You can pop them in the freezer, in an airtight container for 2-3 weeks, and take out a few hours before serving. I like to eat cookies right out of the freezer, so I like to eat them frozen!

SERVINGS: 5 dozen small cut out cookies

INGREDIENTS

Cut-Out Cookies

• 1 cup butter

• 1 cup sugar

• 2 eggs

• 3 3/4 cup flour

• 1 tsp baking soda

• 1/2 tsp cream of tarter

• 2 Tbsp milk

• 2 tsp vanilla

Icing for Cut-Out Cookies

• 4 cups powdered sugar

• 3 Tbsp milk

• 3 Tbsp light corn syrup

• 1 tsp vailla extract

• 1 tsp almond extract

• food coloring

DIRECTIONS

Cut-Out Cookies

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Cream the butter and sugar.

2. Add the eggs, milk and vanilla.

3. Sift the dry ingredients into a medium bowl.

4. Then gradually add the dry ingredients into the other bowl, until it forms a ball.

5. Wrap the dough in cellophane and chill for an hour or over night.

6. Roll out, cut with cookie cutter.

7. Bake at 375 degrees for 6-8 minutes until light brown.

Icing for Cut-Out Cookies

1. Sift the powdered sugar into a bowl. Add the milk and beat until smooth.

2. Add the corn syrup, extracts and beat until smooth and glossy.

NOTES: If the icing is too thick, add more corn syrup. If it's too thin, add more powdered sugar.

You may divide the icing into separate bowls and add food coloring of your choice for different colors.