How was everyone’s Christmas? Mine was spent with the family: opening presents, eating a waffle breakfast, going to see “Girl with a Dragon Tattoo” (really dark, but really good) and going out for Greek food for dinner. We usually have a big Christmas Eve dinner party, but since Q wasn’t here, we just had a nice, relaxing time with family.
On Christmas Eve, I wanted to bake something Christmas-y, not just the usual chocolate chip cookies for our Santa! My mom and I decided on these Christmas Sugar Cookies from Food52
These cookies were buttery, soft and the perfect texture. Usually when I eat sugar cookies, I feel like they need some sort of frosting or addition, but with these cookies, the cookie itself was perfect as is. What’s great about these cookies is that the flavor continues to develop over time, so they are even better a few days later (i.e. this morning with my coffee).
Christmas Sugar Cookies
Makes about 80 cookies
We used Irish butter for these cookies (a little richer taste) and think it definitely made the sugar cookies pop. If you don’t have any on hand, regular salted buter will work just fine.
Ingredients:
- 3/4 pound salted butter, softened (we used Irish butter)
- 1 3/4 cups sugar
- 2 egg yolks
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- Red, green or multicolored finishing sugar (regular will do as well)
Directions:
- Heat the oven to 350 degrees. In a mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, cream the butter and sugar until light in color and fluffy (about 5 minutes). Add the yolks and vanilla, mixing well. Add the flour and combine thoroughly.
- Use mounded teaspoonfuls and make balls of dough with your hands. Place on ungreased cookie sheets, then flatten the dough with the bottom of a patterned glass or jar dipped in colored sugar (don’t mix the red and the green). (*It helps to lightly butter the bottom of the glass before dipping it into the sugar the first time as it will help the sugar adhere.)
- Bake for 10 minutes (watch carefully, as they burn easily) until the cookies are lightly golden around the edges. Let the cookies rest on the baking sheets for a minute or two and then gently transfer to baking racks to cool.
Recipe from Food52
{ 2 comments… read them below or add one }
I love sugar cookies!
I think homemade ones are so much better than the store bought ones.
nothing like a good sugar cookie for the holidays
happy 2012!