Sugar Cookies

I love sugar cookies. Can you really ever go wrong with a sugar cookie?

What I really love about sugar cookies, besides how good and yummy that are, it's that you can cut out a bunch of your own little shapes. What I usually do with sugar cookies, is I actually draw out the picture I want, like, say, a cartoon character, and then I place it over the rolled dough, and cut them out. I didn't really feel up to do that today, but I'll post some of my creations soon.

Another plus to making sugar cookies and cutting them out is that it's really great to do with kids. My little brother, who's always wanting to help me bake, weather it be to knead, fold, stir or cut, he always wants to help me (he's a real sweetheart). But, most of the time, I always say no. I'm a bit of a perfectionist and when it comes to baking, I always want them to be perfect. But with sugar cookies, this was something my little brother got to really enjoyed and have fun with. He got to cut out his own shapes and then decorate them as he wanted to with the frosting or the sprinkle. He, as well as I, had a lot of fun with them.

Oh and this frosting; I really like this kind of frosting. Reason being is because it hardens. I don't really like cookies with any sort of gooey frosting as if coming from a cake. If it sticks to things, then you can't throw the cookies into its one bowl. With this frosting, after it hardens, you can throw them all together and not worry that they may stay together! Yay!

Recipe

Cookies

1 1/2 cup sifted confectioners sugar
1 cup butter, room temperature
1 large egg
1 tsp. vanilla
1/2 tsp. almond extract
2 1/2 cup sifted flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. cream of tartar

Icing

2 cups sifted confectioners sugar
1/2 tsp. almond extract
1/4 cup milk
Food Coloring


1. Cream butter for 2 minutes, add sugar and beat for an additional 2 minutes. Add eggs, vanilla, and almond extract and beat until light and fluffy. Combine dry ingredients and add to batter. Stir to blend.

2. Divide batter in half, forming two balls. Wrap and refrigerate for at least 3 hours.

3. Using a rolling pin, roll out dough on a lightly floured surface to 1/8 thickness. Dip cutters into batter; cut out shapes.Place cookies on lined or lightly greased cookie sheets. Bake at 375°F for 7-8 minutes.

4. To make icing, combine sugar, almond extract and just enough milk (about 1/4 cup) to make the frosting the consistency of thin glue. Pour icing into shallow bowls wide enough for dipping cookies. Add food coloring.

5. To decorate, dip the topside of each cookie into the icing. Remove quickly and let icing drip of excess back into the icing bowl. Let dry. Pour additional colored frosting into pastry piping, or use a plastic sandwich bag with the tip of one corner nicked off. Gently squeeze frosting on to cookies in whatever patterns you choose.

Makes 2-3 dozen