C is for Cookie, Christmas cookies!

Here are three of the recipes I used this week: sugar cookies, frosting and gingerbreadmen. 

Rolled Sugar Cookies

Ingredients:

-6 tablespoons of butter or margarine

-1/3 cup of shortening

-3/4 cup sugar

- 1 egg

-1 tablespoon of milk

-1 teaspoon vanilla

-2 cups of all-purpose flour

-1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

Directions:

Beat butter and shortening, add sugar and beat till fluffy. Add egg, milk and vanilla; beat well. Add flour and baking powder to beaten mixture, beat until well blended. Cover and chill for at least 3 hours. Roll out dough on a lightly floured surface to 1/8 inch thickness. Cut into desired shapes. Place on an ungreased cookie sheet. Bake at 375 degrees for 8 minutes or till done. Makes 36 to 48.

Some of these are a little too golden :)

This recipe is from the 1981 edition of the plaid Better Homes and Gardens "New Cook Book." It is my fav, one of my favorite things about Christmas time. We at the Williams' house frost em' with butter cream frosting.

Butter Cream Frosting (from same cookbook)

-6 tablespoons of butter

-4 1/2 to 4 3/4 cups of sifted powder sugar

-1/4 cup milk

-1 1/2 teaspoons of vanilla

Directions: In a small mixer bowl beat butter till light and fluffy. (Better Homes and Gardens is big on beating your butter till its fluffy.) Gradually add about half of the powdered sugar, beating well, Beat in the milk and vanilla. Gradually beat in the remaining powdered sugar, then additional milk, if necessary, to make frosting to desired spreading consistency. 

Add food coloring to make it festive! 

Soft Gingerbread(men) Cookies

Ingredients: 

-3/4 cup molasses

-1/3 cup brown sugar

-1/3 cup water

-1/8 cup of softened butter

-3 1/4 cup of all purpose flour

-1 teaspoon baking soda

-1 teaspoon ginger

-1 teaspoon cinnamon 

-1/2 teaspoon clove (I use a heaping half teaspoon, cause I love cloves!)

Directions:

Mix molasses and water together. Add softened butter and brown sugar, mix. Add the dry ingredients and combine. The dough will be sticky. Refrigerate dough for at least three hours. Roll out the dough on a lightly floured surface to 1/4 inch to 1/8 inch thickness. Cut into desired shapes. Bake at 350 degrees for 8 to 10 minutes. 

I find that the best way to refrigerate the dough is by dividing it in half, then flattening it out on plastic wrap to about an inch thickness. Wrap and store it the plastic wrap. This keeps you from having to work the dough too much. 

Gingerbread angels!

I hope you have as much fun as I did!
Made and frosted over 300 cookies in the last 24 hours!
I realize that probably isn't fun for most people.

 What is sweeter than Christmas cookies? The joy of knowing Jesus as your Lord and Savior!

Merry Christmas!!