American Sugar Cookies | Old Fashioned Sugar Cookies | Christmas Cookies Recipe

Christmas and baking does ring bells to me ;-) I still remember a few years back when I did a Christmas Cake that tuned hard as stone ;-) of course it was way before my life as a blogger. The reason I brought this up is that if you are new to baking don't be worried disasters happen and we must learn our mistakes and keep trying until we get them right. If there is a baker that told me that not one of their bakes was a disaster I will sure have a good laugh. No one is a born expert we all learn, relearn, explore and create. Baking of course is science in pure sense but if you have a good recipe then you sure are going to have a good result. Well enough with the rambling and yes this is one fail proof recipe that may be you should give a try. I am sure it will turn out just perfect.

Sugar cookies or old fashioned sugar cookies are sure in a baker's list to bake for Christmas. They are pure easy and can be packed in goodie bags and distributed in parties. They are firm on the outside with a sift inside and not too firm like our Indian variety of biscuits. Sugar cookies have a buttery flavour along with a dash of vanilla. 

CHRISTMAS SUGAR COOKIES RECIPE

Makes - 2 dozen medium cookies

Prep time - 10 mins + 3 hours refrigerating

Bake time - 8-10 mins

Ingredients

·         1 cup butter, unsalted

·         1 cup white sugar

·         2 eggs, lightly beaten

·         1 teaspoon vanilla

·         3 cups flour

·         2 teaspoons baking powder

·         1 teaspoon salt

Method

1. In a bowl, cream the butter and sugar. Beat in the eggs and vanilla.

2. In a second bowl, combine and mix well the flour, baking powder, and salt. Stir flour into butter mixture 1 cup at a time. Chill dough for 3 to 4 hours.

3. Roll out dough and cut into shapes with cookie cutters or a knife. Brush with milk and sprinkle with colored sugar.

4. Bake on a sheet pan or a parchment lined sheet pan in a preheated 350 degree F oven for 10 to 15 minutes depending on the size of the cookie. Remove cookies to a rack to cool completely.

Cooks Wisdom

Tip 1

You can store the dough in cling wrap and freeze to use later. 

Tip 2

I refrigerated the cookie dough overnight and rolled out the cookies the next day after bringing them to room temperature for 15 minutes until easy to handle

Tip 3

You can use colored sugar or nuts or sprinklers to top the cookies or simply make them plain. I used tutti fruitti to add a Christmas touch to them

Tip 4

These are soft cookies yet firm unlike the Indian Biscuit which have a good crumb. They are firm on outside and soft on the inside with a lovely buttery and vanilla flavour

Check out few other Christmas Cookies below

1. Fruit & Nut cookies
2. Chocolate Crinkles
3. Nan Khatai 
4. Chocolate Nan Khatai
5. Pinwheel Cookies
6. Jam thumbprint Cookies
7. Vanilla Biscotti