The Best Christmas Cookie Cutter Recipe

Every year my kids and I bake Christmas cookies that we cut out and decorate. I have hunted high and low for an easy, but good recipe and a few years ago I discovered this one. I found it best to make the dough ahead of time and refrigerate it overnight; then the next day we cut out, bake and decorate the cookies. I use pre-made icing sometimes, but you can also make an easy icing by combining powered sugar with a little water and food coloring.

CHRISTMAS COOKIE CUTTERS

3 cups all purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1 cup butter

2 eggs

1 cup sugar

1 teaspoon lemon extract

Mix the dry ingredients. Add the butter. Us a mixer at low speed until the mixture resembles cornmeal. In a seperate bowl, beat the eggs and then add the sugar and lemon extract; beat thoroughly. Blend the egg mixture into the flour mixture. Chill the dough overnight.

Roll out the dough on a floured surface and cut with floured cookie cutters. Bake at 375 for 6-8 minutes.

If you want to use colored sugar to decorate, put that on before baking. Otherwise, use icing and other decorations after the cookie cools off.

I try not to get all Martha Stewart with my cookie decorations because I let the kids have fun decorating however they want to without any intervention or “suggestions” from me. Here is a cookie that my daughter left for Santa last Christmas, 2007:

As you can see, we use all kinds of cookie cutters, not just Christmas shapes. We got that that cookie cutter at Disney World, but Wiliams-Sonoma has some great ones. Look at these fun Princess Cookie Cutters:

Or All Star Cookie Cutters:

So think outside the Christmas tree and angel shapes; go wild with your cookies! Have fun!