Kids in the Kitchen: Sugar Cookies

What can be more fun for kids than helping mom (or dad) make Christmas cookies?! Both of us have fond memories of making cut-out sugar cookies with our mothers and siblings when we were children. We thought we'd each share our favorite recipe.

HEATHER'S SUGAR COOKIES
(Cookies for Christmas by M. Robbin)

4 c. flour
2 ½ tsp. baking powder
½ tsp. salt
1 c. butter
1 ½ c. superfine sugar (or regular)
2 large eggs
4 Tbsp. milk
2 tsp. vanilla

In a large bowl, sift flour, baking powder and salt together with a whisk. In a separate bowl, cream butter and sugar. Add eggs, vanilla, and milk to butter mixture and beat until well-combined. Stir in the flour mixture. Chill dough. Roll out on floured surface and cut with cookie cutters. Bake at 350 for 10-12 minutes. Makes 5-6 dozen.



Depending on the age level of my children, or my energy level, we either sprinkle our cut-out cookies with sprinkles before we bake them or bake them plain and ice them with colored glaze (confectioner's sugar, milk and food coloring) over which we then sprinkle colored sugar. If I'm very ambitious we actually use icing in icing bags with proper tips.



ALAINA'S SUGAR COOKIES

1 c. butter
1 c. sugar
1 egg
1 tsp. vanilla
3 Tb. cream or milk
3 c. flour
1/2 tsp. salt
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder

Cream butter and sugar. Add egg, cream and vanilla and mix until blended. Add dry ingredients. Divide into 3 or 4 rounds and roll out. Cut with seasonal cookie cutters. Bake at 400 degrees for 5-8 min. until barely golden. Ice with your favorite frosting and top with sprinkles. Make 5-6 dozen.



The boys cut out the cookies with a little guidance and then we frost them and they decorate them however they like. For them (at age 4), the more sprinkles the better! The absolutely love making cookies with me!