­­One of my earliest memories of making cut-out sugar cookies, lovingly called “cookie cutters,” was with my mom and brothers during the holidays. The tin cutters were simple shapes such as a bell, candy cane, reindeer, and of course my favorite, the Christmas tree. The tradition continued with my son and then again with my nieces, nephews and grandchildren, whom all love to make and decorate these cookies throughout the year. Making these cookies together as a family continues, even today.

Over the years, I have collected many different cookie cutters from boutiques and shops both local and abroad. I love using them, because it always brings back so many amazing memories. My non-traditional favorites are the unusual shapes such as a cow and a teapot.

For this post, I decided to use my favorite Christmas tree cutter. When I happened upon it at the store, it inspired me, not only to make a fresh batch of cookies, but also to write this Christmas poem. 

My wish is that you will take this recipe, gather these simple ingredients, and create some memories in your kitchen with family and cookie cutters. Happy Holidays!

Christmas Magic

The day before Christmas, I went to the store. I wasn’t really shopping; I just wanted to explore.

I heard someone call my name, in this empty aisle. I quickly whirled around, to greet them with a smile.

The aisle was still deserted, but someone said my name. Was it someone calling me; or was it just a game?

The shelves were nearly empty; it was looking very bare. I spied a Christmas cookie cutter sitting way up there.

That little cookie cutter; it was a Christmas tree. I peeked and saw it dancing, so I took it home with me.

It really was quite different, and it had a lovely shape. I put it in the cupboard, so it would not escape.

I do believe in magic, for it’s Christmas time, you see. Santa, Elves and Reindeer are all magical to me.

Up inside my cupboard, is a cookie cutter tin. The little tree waits inside, for magic to begin.

Sneak into the kitchen, and mix up some dough. Cut out the Christmas trees and frost them some snow.

 Do just one thing different from years in the past. Sprinkle with some fairy dust, Santa’s here at last.

Holiday Sugar Cookies

Yield:

• 2-3 dozen cookies (depending on size of cutters)

Prep Time:

• 5 hours (including 4 hours of refrigeration)

Cook Time:

• 30 minutes (or less, if you bake more cookies at the same time)

Total Time:

• 5 hours and 30 minutes

Cookie Ingredients:

• ⅔ cups shortening (I prefer Crisco)

• ¾ cups granulated sugar

• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

• 4 teaspoons milk

• 1 large egg

• 2 cups self-rising flour

• 1½ teaspoons baking powder

Decorating Ingredients:

• 2 cups powdered sugar (sifted)

• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter (room temperature)

• 1 tablespoon milk (or more as needed)

• food coloring (if desired)

• sprinkles (if desired)

Cookie Directions:

Cream shortening and sugar, and vanilla together until well mixed.  Add egg and mix until fluffy.  Stir in milk and mix together.  Stir together flour and baking powder and add gradually to the creamed mixture until well mixed.

Remove from the bowl and wrap in plastic wrap.  These cookies roll out easily when the dough is chilled, so refrigerate the dough for several hours or overnight.

Be sure to flour the surface and the top of the dough when ready to roll the dough.  (You may want to use waxed paper for a floured surface to roll out the dough). I also rub the rolling pin with flour, too. 

I have found that rolling the dough to about 1/8” thickness seems to work best for these cookies. You may need to use a spatula to help lift the cookie from the floured surface to the baking sheet. 

With the oven preheated to 375°F, bake about 10 minutes until the cookies are set, puffed and beginning to brown a little around the edges. Cookies will be soft, so allow them to rest a few minutes before removing them from the baking tray to a cooling rack.

When the cookies are completely cooled, frost them with a mixture of powdered sugar, butter and a little milk. 

Decorating Directions:

To create the icing, cream the room temperature butter in a mixer for about two minutes until smooth and fluffy. Sift the powdered sugar and add that to the creamed butter in two separate additions, adding in a tablespoon of milk between additions. Add gel food coloring to achieve the desired color. Additional milk can be added by the tablespoon to achieve the right consistency. The icing should be soft enough to spread easily, but firm enough to hold its shape.

Decorate your room temperature cookies as desired with frosting and of course, sprinkles!

Tips and Tricks:

Keep the unused portion of the cookie dough chilled until ready to roll out. Cookie cutters can also be dusted with flour before cutting dough. 

Tools:

I’ve included links to some tools and equipment you might find useful for making this recipe.