Christmas Cookies!

When I was a little girl my mom would set aside one day every year to make Christmas cookies. The entire kitchen & dining room would be covered with dough, ingredients, cookies cooling, frosting, frosted cookies "drying", all us kids loved that day! And the days following that day, because we got to eat the Christmas cookies!

(My sister in law Judy, & I Rolling, rolling, rolling)

When I moved out of state & had children of my own, I wanted to keep that tradition for my kids, but, you know me, I'm no Martha Stewart! So, I cheated! Yes, that's right. When my kids were little and I didn't live near my mom, I bought ready made Pillsbury sugar cookie dough and canned frosting. My small children still got the experience of rolling out & cutting the cookies, frosting & decorating too! But with much less mess. Brilliant I know! I'm great at cutting corners! :)

(My sister in law Debbie giving the girls directions.
my girls & 2 of my nieces)

But, now since moving back home to Arizona, and my kids are a lot older, we've gone back to the true fashion of making Christmas cookies. My mom can't really make all the cookies herself anymore. So, we made a new family tradition of making them together. It's our annual "Cookie Messtravaganza!" My sister in law, Debbie has us all over to her house. Everyone comes with their cookie dough already made. Then we roll them out, cut, bake, frost & decorate them all together. (We usually order Pizza & play games too while were at it!)

(My niece Alarie, being cute!)

Well, every year I manage to talk someone into making my dough for me. (yes, I'm a whiner, not to mentioned spoiled!) But, this year my mom was out of town until the day we were making cookies, and I couldn't manage to talk any of my sister's in law into making it for me. Can you believe it?! I was pretty nervous to make it myself.

(4 generations making cookies together!
My Mom, my brother Danny, his daughter, Sarah
and her son Avery!)

So, the night before our cookie day, my girls spent the night at a friends house, and my oldest son's girlfriend Olivia, who is the queen of baking, had to work. (I wonder who her manager is that planed that schedule?! haha She works in my store!) So, John helped me, and it was fun & a lot easier than I remember it being. And our cookies turned out great! John & my boys said they were the best ever! (kiss ups!)

(My brother Marty & his daughter Rachel
she did much better decorating than he did!)

I thought I'd share my moms recipe with you, my blog readers & friends. If you don't have your own family tradition of making Christmas cookies, I highly recommend you start one of your own. And if you do make cookies, don't forget to save a few, to leave out on Christmas eve for Santa! He loves them too! Happy Baking!

Christmas Cookies

Ingredients:
2 cups Butter, softened
3 tsp. Vanilla
1-1/2 cups Sugar
6 cups Flour
2 eggs
2 tsp. Baking Powder
2 Tbls. Milk
1 tsp. Salt

Blend together flour, baking powder & salt. Set aside.

Cream together butter & sugar. Stir in eggs. Add milk & vanilla. Mix Well.

Slowly add flour mixture into creamed mixture, mix well.

Chill for 1 or more hours.

Roll out to 1/2" thick. Cut out in designs.

Bake at 400 for 7 min.

Cool. Decorate.



Frosting

Ingredients:
1 Box Powdered Sugar
3/4 stick of Butter
1 tsp. Vanilla
Milk


Mix powdered sugar, butter & vanilla with mixer.

Add small amount of milk until spreadable consistency.
(not too thin)

You can add food coloring to make different colors of frosting.


(Me, decorating cookies with my Mom & my daughters Lexi & Erica,
"Cookie Cuties!")