Christmas Cookies

This year we started our new annual tradition of making Christmas cookies with my daughter, Madalynne.  We had so much fun making cookies, I couldn't help but add pictures of us and the cookies!  We made traditional shortbread cookies with white and milk chocolate icing with sprinkles.

   

Shortbread Cookie Recipe

2 cups all-purpose flour

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature

1/2 cup powdered (confectioners or icing) sugar

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1. In a separate bowl whisk the flour with the salt. 

2. In the bowl of your electric mixer cream the butter until smooth (about 1 minute). Add the sugar and beat until smooth (about 2 minutes). Beat in the vanilla extract. Gently stir in the flour mixture just until incorporated. Flatten the dough into a disk shape, wrap in plastic wrap, and chill the dough for at least an hour. 

3. Preheat oven to 350 degrees with the rack in the middle of the oven.

4. On a lightly floured surface roll out the dough to 1/4 inch thick. Cut into rounds or whatever shapes you wish using lightly floured cookie cutter. Place the cookies on the prepared baking sheet and place in the refrigerator for about 15 minutes. This will firm up the dough so the cookies will maintain their shape when baked. Bake for 8 - 10 minutes, or until cookies are lightly brown. Cool on rack.

Makes about 20 shortbread cookies.

Recipe from joyofbaking.com