Christmas Cookies

Who doesn't like Christmas cookies? It may not be December yet, but it almost is! There's about a month until Christmas, and I felt it was time to start baking my favorite cookies!

I love a good frosted sugar cookie. There is nothing better than curling up in front of the fireplace with a plate of cookies, and a good Christmas Hallmark movie on. After summer, Christmastime is my favorite part of the year! I love all the decorations, ugly Christmas sweaters, and of course, the Christmas sweets.

My mom and I have baked Christmas cookies since I can remember. We make all kinds- peanut butter drop cookies, eggnog cookies, Russian tea cakes, fudge truffles, Andes mint cookies, and my personal favorite: cutout frosted sugar cookies.

After summer, Christmastime is my favorite part of the year

These cookies can get messy! It's the fun in making them that really counts. I love to make these really anytime, but around Christmas is my favorite time because I can make them in extra festive shapes and give them out to friends and family. I do tend to get a bit scattered while making these, as there are multiple different colors of frosting to be made, different shapes to make, and cookies to sprinkle!

My youngest sister and I decided about a year ago that we wanted to get good at making cookies frosted with royal frosting. Let me tell you, royal frosting- not easy to frost with. At all. It did not help that I used egg yolks instead of egg whites in the frosting, so they were completely inedible!

We have come a long way since then, but we still have a long way to go. Our Christmas cookies turned out the best out of them all this year, and we are very proud of them.

Royal frosting- not easy to frost with. At all.

Christmas cookies are a must for Christmas time. Even if you don't celebrate Christmas, these are perfect for winter time! My favorite shapes to make are snowflakes, Christmas trees, ornaments, and candy canes.

They are fun for Christmas and winter, and you can decorate them in so many ways! Even if you don't have any cookie cutters, you can still shape them into circles and festively decorate them, or even decorate them for an occasion you wish it was! (For me, that would be flip-flop and sun cookies. I am no fan of the snow!)

They are fun for Christmas and winter, and you can decorate them in so many ways!

I will put my cookie recipe below, as well as the royal frosting recipe I use. You don't have to use royal frosting, because it is not easy to work with! And I am no pro at it. These cookies will taste equally as good with frosting bought from the store! (I am guilty of doing that from time to time when I am feeling lazy!)

Like just about all my recipes, this one is not mine! I don't actually know where I came across this cookie recipe, my mom has used it for years. As for the frosting, it is the typical royal frosting recipe I found online.

Sugar cookies:

Ingredients:

3 3/4 cups flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 cup margarine or butter (I have personally found that margarine tastes better!)

1 1/2 cups sugar

2 eggs

2 teaspoons vanilla

Directions:

1. Sift flour, baking powder, and salt together in a large bowl and set aside.

2. In a different bowl, mix the margarine (or butter) and sugar together until it looks light and fluffy.

3. Beat in the eggs one at a time, then stir in the vanilla.

4. Blend in the dry ingredients about 1/2 cup at a time until it is fully mixed together.

5. Chill dough for at least 2 hours.

6. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

7. On a clean, flat, floured surface, roll out small portions of the chilled dough to around 1/4 inch thickness.

8. Cut the cookies into your favorite shapes!

9. Bake for 6-8 minutes.

Makes about 48 cookies.

Royal frosting:

Ingredients:

3 tablespoons meringue powder (you can buy meringue powder at Michael's, Hobby Lobby, or most craft stores. I get mine on Amazon because it is much cheaper!)

side note: you can use egg whites instead of meringue powder if that is easier for you. If you choose to you egg whites, you do not need to add water.

4 cups powdered sugar

5 tablespoons warm water

Directions:

1. Beat all ingredients together until icing forms peaks. (about 7-10 minutes at low speed)

Keep in mind- royal frosting is very difficult to work with! Consistency is everything. My next blog post should be all about tips for royal frosting and all my mishaps with it. I really hope you enjoy these cookies as much as I have! Merry Christmas, I hope it is filled with lots of sweets!