Around here, we're all in the mood for Christmas and we hope you are too.
We love Christmas cookies! It gives us an excuse to break out the festive cookie cutters and to get flour all over ourselves and the kitchen. This year, MJ was lucky enough to have a young relative helping out. You can see that Teagan did all the heavy lifting!
MJ here: I picked the sugar cookies I remember from my own childhood. I remember sugar sparkles on those cookies and so a quick trip yielded just what I needed. I know red and green are favorite Christmas colors but Teagan and I decided that blue, white and silver were just right.
We love Christmas cookies! It gives us an excuse to break out the festive cookie cutters and to get flour all over ourselves and the kitchen. This year, MJ was lucky enough to have a young relative helping out. You can see that Teagan did all the heavy lifting!
MJ here: I picked the sugar cookies I remember from my own childhood. I remember sugar sparkles on those cookies and so a quick trip yielded just what I needed. I know red and green are favorite Christmas colors but Teagan and I decided that blue, white and silver were just right.
Why don't you join us in the kitchen when we make these very easy Christmas sugar cookies? We’d offer you one, but they were gone in a twinkle!
Christmas Sugar Cookies
You will need:
1 cup sugar
1 cup butter, room temperature
2 extra large eggs, at room temperature,
well beaten in a small bowl
2 ½ cups flour
1 tsp baking soda
2 tsp cream of tartar
½ tsp salt
1 tsp good quality vanilla
1/4 tsp almond extract (optional - but we always do it!)
1/4 tsp almond extract (optional - but we always do it!)
All you have to do:
Preheat oven to 375 F.
Cream butter and sugar until fluffy in
stand mixer (or whatever works for you).
Add beaten eggs and vanilla and continue to beat until well blended.
In a separate bowl, combine flour, salt, soda,
and cream of tartar, mixing to blend.
Add dry mixture to wet and mix just until
blended. Don’t overbeat.
If you have time, roll the dough into a
ball, wrap with plastic wrap, and chill the dough for 20 minutes before rolling
out. It is very soft.
Roll out on floured surface and roll with
floured rolling pin until about ¼ inch think.
They will puff up slightly, so don’t roll too thick.
Cut into shapes with your favorite cookie
cutters.
Teagan liked the trees best. MJ just couldn’t decide between stars and snowflakes.
Teagan liked the trees best. MJ just couldn’t decide between stars and snowflakes.
Transfer to cookie sheets lined with parchment
paper. They spread quite a bit so keep it to six per sheet, or they will run
into each other. I learned this the hard
way and had to eat quite a few and then start again. Ahem. Dust each cookie
with a bit of colored course sugar.
Bake 10 minutes. Remove and cool. Makes about two dozen. Guard them well, because
they have a tendency to disappear.
Of course you know that Victoria Abbott is a dangerous combo of Mary Jane Maffini and her daughter, Victoria. When not busy being elves, they write the book collector mysteries, with a bit of help from Peachy the Pug.
Of course you know that Victoria Abbott is a dangerous combo of Mary Jane Maffini and her daughter, Victoria. When not busy being elves, they write the book collector mysteries, with a bit of help from Peachy the Pug.
We all hope you all have a wonderful December
full of sweet tastes and warm moments and entertaining books. So from our family to yours, have the best of
festive seasons, whatever you celebrate.
Speaking of, why not tell us about how, what or if you celebrate and your name may be drawn to receive a copy of the book collector mystery of your choice! If you have them all, we'll still find a deal for you. Because it's that season!
