My Mother's Christmas Sugar Cookies

"Tis the season to be jolly" ...and bake bake bake! Normally baking is not my thing. Aside from the usual banana bread and the odd batch of chocolate chip cookies now and again, adn a few other tatsy treats i whip up when the spirit or occasion moves me,  I usually leave the baking to my 12 year old daughter. However, at CHristmas time I usually break out the baking tins and pans, search for my candy making supplies and run my dishwasher countless times baking for the holidays. 

Today, it is my mother's sugar cookies whicih she only ever bakes at Christmas (she too loathes baking- must be genetic, haha!). 

This recipe comes from the 1964 "Pillsbury Family Cook Book". No idea how my mom got her copy, as she didn't even live in America until 1970, but I found my copy at a flea market on the Upper West Side of Manhattan in the 1990's, some time after graduating college and moving away from home. 

This book is filled with lots of wonderful classics like Sauerbraten and Cheese Souffle, and some things that are better left behind in the '60s (South Sea Tuna Bake anyone?) But the baking- breads, candies, cakes, cookies, pastry, and pie- is classic stuff and you cant go wrong there really. 

Old Fashioned Sugar Cookie

3 cups sifted flour

1 cup sugar

1 1/2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

1 cup soft butter or margarine (I only use butter)

1 egg, slightly beaten

3 tbsp cream

1 tsp vanilla extract

Preheat Oven to 400F

Sift flour with the sugar, baking powder, and salt in a large mixing bowl. Cut the butter into the flour, using an electric mixer or pastry blender, until particles are fine. Add egg, cream, and vanilla extract. Blend thoroughly. If desired, chill dough for easier handling (I always do this- for at least 30 minutes)

Roll dough onto floured surface, 1/3 of the dough at a time, to 1/8 thickness. Sprinkle with sugar, cut into desired shape, bake on ungreased cookie sheets for 5-8 min, until golden.

 (I roll them out a bit thicker for frosted/iced cookies, about a 1/4 inch thickness. But if I am just going to throw a bit sugar and cinnamon on top then I roll them to 1/8 inch)

That it. Super simple, buttery and not too sweet. Perfect as thin crisp butter cookies or thicker iced cookies  as they hold their shape beautifully. 

Hope you enjoy our family's favorite Christmas cookie! 

K