When I was about 12, my mom decided that she wasn’t going to make any Christmas cookies because she didn’t have time. I fetl the need to rectify that because nothing says Christmas like fresh baked cookies. Now that I have nieces and a nephew I like making sugar cookies so they can cover them in icing and sprinkles. Rolled Butter Cookies: 1/2 pound butter, softened 1 cup granulated sugar 1/2 teaspoon salt 1 egg, and 1 yolk 2 teaspoon vanilla 2 1/2 cup flour Cream the butter and sugar together until pale yellow and fluffy. Add yolk, then egg and vanilla, scraping down the sides after each addition. Stir together the flour and the salt. Add flour mixture to the butter until just mixed. Divide dough in half and wrap in plastic. Chill for at least 1 hour and up to 2 days. Preheat oven to 375, using half of a disk at a time, roll out onto a floured surface. After cutting with the cookie cutters, use a metal spatula to lift cookies onto the baking sheets. If the cookies won’t come up easily, dip the spatula in flour. Bake 6-8 minutes, until light golden brown. Remove from the pan immediately and let cool on a wire rack. (42 average size cookies) Royal Icing 3/4 pound powdered sugar water (room temperature) clear vanilla meringue powder Add water slowly to sugar and a small amount of the meringue powder. Add some vanilla for flavor, add as much water to the mixture until it is smooth enought to dip the cookies. Michele Tracey, Food Editor
