When I married my husband, I not only inherited an amazing second family but also a stack of wonderful new recipes. It’s great to be a part of two families, both of whom love to cook and eat good food. I always figure it’s a positive sign when the planning for family gatherings starts with the menu. Anyway, some of my favorite inherited recipes are those for cookies: gingersnaps, oatmeal chocolate chip, peanut butter… but I can’t give away all of the family secrets in one post.
Here are 2 of the best roll & cut Christmas cookie recipes. Oh, and know this is coming from somebody who absolutely hates rolling and cutting anything (pie crust, fabric, wrapping paper… you name it) so if I highly recommend these, they’ve got to be good (and easy). After much trial & error and mild cursing, I’ve found the best results by sticking with these simple rules:
- CHILL the dough before handling. Keep it in the refrigerator between batches as well.
- FLOUR is your friend: keep your rolling surface & pin well-floured.
- Don’t ROLL the dough too thin if you like a softer cookie. I’m still perfecting this one.
- LIGHT BROWN on the edges = done. Don’t overbake them unless you are my father and like your cookies just this side of burned.
- BEAUTY is in the eye of the beholder. Yes, I know my cookies look like they were decorated by a 5-year old. I have neither the time nor the patience to spend frosting cookies. They may not look like much, but trust me, they taste good. Non-decorators, unite!
1 c. shortening
1 c. sugar
1 c. molasses
1 egg
4 ½ c. flour
2 t. baking powder
1 t. baking soda
1 T. ginger
¼ t. salt
- Cream together shortening, sugar, and molasses. Add egg and mix until thoroughly combined.
- Add flour, baking powder, baking soda, ginger, and salt.
- Roll ¼” thick and cut into desired shapes.
- Transfer to greased cookie sheets and bake at 350 for 9-10 min.
- Decorate or glaze.
1 ¼ c. butter, softened
2 c. sugar
2 eggs
½ c. milk
5 c. flour
1 t. salt
4 t. baking powder
- In the bowl of an electric mixer, cream together the butter and sugar. Add the eggs and milk and mix well.
- Add the flour, salt, and baking powder, stirring until combined.
- Chill dough. Roll to ¼” thick and cut into desired shapes.
- Bake on ungreased cookie sheets at 350 for 8-10 minutes, until lightly browned around the edges.
- Frost or glaze.
Emily,
So glad that you are part of our family. I feel all warm inside when I think of you… or that could just be the freshly baked cookies that are rarely more than three steps away this time of year.
You should know that your second family disapproves whole-heartedly of even the mildest cursing, so I hope that you were referring to either, "good grief!!" or "aaarrgghhh!!"
I am glad that your branch of the family tree will carry on with the molasses cookie tradition. Unfortunately my little family will not touch anything with molasses in it, so if I dare to make these delicious cookies, I must eat the whole entire batch myself in fear that I will end up looking like a pudgy-wudgy gingerbread woman myself. At least they have no problem helping me scarf down the sugar cookies!
Joy
You are too too cute Emily. I will attest that the mild cursing is either internal or sticks to the arrrrgh!!! or indistinct mutterings variety if absolutely unrestrainable.
Beautiful cookies -may have to begin my sugar-free day tomorrow. . .
glad you posted about the sugar cookies. I will have to try them out. I made some for Christmas and the cut out cookies spread over the pan. Although, they tasted very good I was sad about them spreading, oh well I'm still learning
Christina
Made the sugar cookies for Lukey’s b-day party and my brother demanded the recipe for his girls to make him some and then took a ziploc baggie home with the leftovers! They are the best sugar cookie recipe I’ve ever tasted, thanks!