Recently, our family was going through a hard time. One day, out of the blue, I received a mysterious manila envelope addressed to “Queen Blogger Ann”. I opened it to find a mesh bag of cookie cutters, a snowflake container of hand sanitizer, and a card from my fellow blogger, Stephanie. I can’t begin to tell you how much that sweet gesture meant to me. A simple thing in a difficult season.
So, today I am sharing my recipe for sugar cookies that I made with those cookie cutters. The beauty of these is that you can make them in stages. Plus, with no weird measurements, you only have to get one measuring cup and one teaspoon dirty! Perfect for all of you busy moms out there. Enjoy!
ANN’S “BUSY MOM” SUGAR COOKIES
3 cups flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 cup butter
1 cup sugar
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla
Take two cubes of butter and an egg out of the fridge. Walk away for an hour. Have a cup of coffee. When the butter and egg are at room temperature, continue.
Measure three cups of flour into a medium bowl. Add one teaspoon of baking powder and whisk to combine. Set aside.
Put the butter and one cup of sugar into your mixing bowl. Cream together. Once creamed, add your egg and one teaspoon of vanilla (or almond extract if you want them to taste Scandinavian). Mix well.
Turn your mixer on low and gradually add the flour mixture in. Mix just to combine.
Separate the dough into three parts. Roll each part in between two pieces of parchment paper, waxed paper, or plastic wrap until it is approximately ½ inch thick. Put the rolled dough (still in paper) on a cookie sheet and place in fridge. Walk away again! Drink more coffee. Watch a movie. TAKE A NAP!
Chill at least one hour or up to three days.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cut the rolled, chilled dough with cookie cutters and place on parchment lined cookie sheets (dough scraps can be kneaded and rolled again between the paper). Bake about 8 minutes (depending on thickness and size). Cookies are done when still pale and the tops have lost that doughy sheen.
My husband loves these just plain, but for the grandkids I make this frosting and let them go wild.
BASIC BUTTER FROSTING
Whip one cube of softened butter and one teaspoon of vanilla together. Add two cups of confectioner’s sugar. Add milk, one tablespoon at a time until you get your desired consistency (I used one tablespoon). Separate into small bowls and add food color. Decorate and enjoy!
