Decorated Sugar Christmas Cookies

I love baking Christmas cookies; especially sugar cookies. There are so many fun cookie cutters … I just love Mr. & Mrs. Claus and the traditional colors of Christmas. These cookies were decorated with Royal Icing. I taught myself to decorate cookies with Royal Icing several years ago. I read a lot of blogs on how to decorate and found Sweet Sugar Belle to be a very talented cookie decorator with a lot of tutorials and great tips! There is still time … so go ahead and get your supplies and get your sugar cookies and mad decorating skills on, put on some Christmas music and have fun!

This recipe for sugar cookies is really good – the dough doesn’t spread when baking and the cookies are perfect! Sometimes I omit the almond flavoring and just double up the vanilla. Always use the best ingredients possible when baking … it makes a difference!

Recipe Source: food.com

Kittencal’s Buttery Cut-Out Sugar Cookies

Ingredients:
1 cup butter, softened (no substitutes)
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
1/2 teaspoon vanilla (I use Madagascar Vanilla)
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
3 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt

Directions

For cookies; in a large bowl combine butter with sugar, eggs, vanilla and almond extract; beat using an electric mixer on high speed until light and fluffy.
In another bowl combine the flour with baking powder, baking soda and salt; gradually stir into the butter mixture until well blended.
Cover bowl with plastic wrap and chill for 2 hours.
Set oven to 400°F.
Line cookie sheets with parchment paper (do not grease cookie sheets use parchment paper only)
On a very lightly floured surface roll out the dough into about 1/4-inch thickness.
Cut into desired shapes using cookie cutters.
Place cookies 2-inches apart on cookie sheet.
Bake 8-9 minutes (oven temperatures vary so keep an eye on the cookies)

(I do not use the icing recipe that come with this cookie recipe.)