Mom's Christmas Sugar Cookies

 

 

Stills from the 1995 Screen Adaptation of Little Women. Starring Kirsten Dunst, Claire Danes, Winona Ryder & Susan Sarandon

At home, our Christmas traditions are many. But one of our favorites is the baking of sugar cookies. My sisters and I (there are six of us in total) hover around the kitchen drinking tea while my mom and our youngest do the preparations. Then the frosting begins. Our mom could have been an artist in another life. One where she didn't raise four kids (it's complicated) and sit on three school boards and shuttle back and forth between New York and CT every day. Her cookies are always the best.  The most beautiful ones don't get eaten at all. I've included the recipe below. When you've made the frosting lay out five or six small bowls and divvy out the contents. Fill each bowl with a small splash of food coloring and let the decorating begin!

 

The March sisters bringing food and firewood to their neighbors

Top secret family recipe for your enjoyment:

1/2 Cup of Butter
1 Cup of Granulated Sugar
1 egg
2 Cups Sifted Flour
2 Tbs Baking Powder
1/2 Tsp Sal
2 Tbs Milk
1/2 Tsp Vanilla Extract


Cream butter and gradually add the sugar. Add egg and beat will. Sift dry ingredients and add little by little the liquids. Mix and chill for one hour.

Roll with a rolling pin to 1/8th of an inch thick. Cut the dough with cookie cutters (this is the best part!)

Bake on an ungreased cookie sheet at 315 for 8-12 minutes.

For the frosting- use room temperature butter and a container of Confectioners sugar. Add a splash of vanilla. And a little bit of Cream Cheese for a kick. Stir! Enjoy!

xoxo Ellis