CHRISTMAS is also a time for baking, whether you’re making holiday bread, cookies, pies or other goodies. Get the tips you need to make the best Christmas treats on the block from website www.delish.com.
Sugar cookies are the ideal holiday cookie — they can be frosted and dressed up in countless ways to suit any occasion. Be extra festive and bake your cookies with sprinkles and frosting.
Ingredients
* 1 c. butter (no substitutions)
* ½ c. sugar
* 1 large egg
* 1 tbsp. vanilla extract
* 3 c. all-purpose flour
* ½ tsp. baking powder
* ½ tsp. salt
* Ornamental Frosting (optional)
* Coarse sugar crystals, silver dragées, holiday decors (optional decorations)
Directions
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In large bowl, with mixer on low speed, beat butter and sugar until blended. Increase speed to high; beat until light and creamy. On low speed, beat in egg and vanilla. Beat in flour, baking powder, and salt until blended.
2. Divide dough into four equal pieces; flatten each piece into a disk. Wrap each disk with plastic wrap and refrigerate one hour or until dough is firm enough to roll. (Or place dough in freezer 30 minutes.)
3. On lightly floured surface, with floured rolling pin, roll 1 piece of dough 1/8 inch thick. With floured three inch to four inch cookie cutters, cut dough into as many cookies as possible; wrap and refrigerate trimmings. Place cookies, one inch apart, on ungreased large cookie sheet.
4. Bake cookies 10 to 12 minutes or until lightly browned. Transfer cookies to wire rack to cool. Repeat with remaining dough and trimmings.
5. When cookies are cool, prepare Ornamental Frosting, if you like; use along with sugars and candies to decorate cookies. Set cookies aside to allow frosting to dry completely, about one hour. Store in tightly covered container (with waxed paper between layers if decorated) at room temperature up to two weeks, or in freezer up to three months.
