Christmas Cookies

Photo by Pat

It’s been a busy Christmas season and I thought to myself, I have plenty of treats so I’ll just not do the Christmas cookies. Out of the blue, a comment on Dancing in the Kitchen from a long ago friend brought them front and center so how could I not do the cookies.

Chelle, my daughter, is home for Christmas. What a treat!! She hardly ever comes home for Christmas because she uses her holiday time visiting when the niece and nephew celebrate their birthdays in the summer. You can see how much we rank in her book!! But that is okay because those babies are mighty sweet.

“Let’s make cookies!”, she exclaimed and off we were mixing up batter and doing our own little version of “cook dancing”. It’s a wonder any cookies got baked because the dough is so much better when snitched when no one is looking.

The recipe we used was one I have used many years in my catering business. I’ve always loved the white on white decorations and I’m still not tired of it. Colored decorations are fine but I love the glow of candlelight dancing off the shine of the cookies on Christmas Eve. Beautiful!

Here’s the recipe and a little nudge in case you have decided to forgo the cookies this year.

 

Satin Sugar Cookies

Makes 2 or so dozen

1 c. sugar

1 c butter

3 oz cream cheese

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp almond extract

1/2 tsp vanilla extract

1 egg yolk

2 c. flour

 

Mix well.  Cut out the cookies, using your favorite cookie cutters.  I like to roll my dough a little on the thick side because I don’t like crispy edges when they bake.  Bake at 375 degrees for 8-10 minutes or until the bottoms begin to brown but there is no browning on the top.

 

Glaze

1 cup powdered sugar

1 T butter, very soft

Hot Water

 

Mix the powdered sugar, butter and several drops of hot water.   Keep adding drops of hot water until you reach the glaze stage which means the spreading marks disappear by the time you set the cookie down on the wax paper but doesn’t drip off.  Sometimes I add a touch of corn syrup to make them shiny but it takes longer for them to dry.  Be sure they are dry before decorating them

 

Icing

2 T butter, softened

2 T milk

Powdered sugar

 

Mix together and thin with milk until you have an icing that you can easily pipe with a pastry bag.  Decorate your cookies as you wish.  I usually outline, add a few inside details and then sprinkle with white sprinkles.   Allow them to dry several hours before stacking and storing for Christmas.

 

 

 

Advertisement