Christmas Cookies

Amish Sugar Cookies
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Amish Sugar Cookies

A SUPER simple, wonderful cookie just in time for Christmas. I like these better than the traditional rolled sugar cookies. These would be great to make with kids. You could add sprinkles (but they don’t need it!) Chai powder, lime or lemon or other flavorings. These are, to quote Robert Palmer, “simply irresistible”. Thank you to my Cousin Judy for sharing her recipe. I used a small ice cream scoop to make the rounded shape but a spoon would work, too. Adapted from Taste of Home.

The dough must be thoroughly chilled. No short-cuts. Completely chilled dough is a must.

Ingredients

  • 1 cup butter softened
  • 1 cup vegetable or canola oil
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 cup powdered sugar
  • 2 large eggs
  • 2 tsp. vanilla
  • 4 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 tsp. baking soda
  • 1 tsp. cream of tartar

Instructions

  1. In a large mixing bowl, beat the butter, oil, and sugars until combined.
  2. Beat in eggs and vanilla.
  3. In a large bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, and cream of tartar.
  4. In two additions, add flour mixture to the butter mixture, beating until just combined. Do not overmix. Dough will be kinda fluffy and light!
  5. Line baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats.
  6. Drop dough by rounded teaspoonfuls onto baking sheets.
  7. Bake at 375 for 8-12 minutes, depending on size of cookie, or until edges and bottoms are lightly browned.
  8. Remove to wire racks to cool.

Recipe Notes

These are good for at least a week, but best within the first 3-4 days. After a few days, they get crumbly and a bit on the drier side – still a delicious cookie though. 

These freeze really well!

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Christmas Sugar Wafers

 

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These were adapted from a Cooking Light magazine. I do not like a super sweet iced cookie so I made these with Sanding sugar sprinkled on instead of icing. They dod not use as much butter or sugar as traditional. So while not completely guilt free a bit less fat and sugar than some!

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Ingredients

Cookies:
6 tablespoons sugar
1/4 cup butter
2 tablespoons dark brown sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 large egg whites
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
3 tablespoons cornstarch
1/2 teaspoon baking powder

Sanding Sugar or colored sugar

Icing:
To prepare vanilla icing, combine 1 cup powdered sugar and remaining ingredients in a small bowl; stir with a fork until combined. Drizzle icing over the cookies, or spoon into a small zip-top plastic bag; cut a tiny hole in 1 corner of bag, and pipe designs onto cookies.

Preparation

Preheat oven to 375°.

To prepare cookies, place first 3 ingredients in a large bowl; beat with a mixer at medium speed until well blended (about 5 minutes). Beat in 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla. Add egg whites, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition.

Lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Combine flour and next 4 ingredients (through 1/4 teaspoon salt), stirring well with a whisk. Add to butter mixture; beat well. Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface (dough will be soft). Divide dough into 4 equal portions. Roll each portion to an 8-inch circle between 2 sheets of plastic wrap. Freeze dough 20 minutes or until plastic wrap can be easily removed.

Working with 1 portion of dough at a time (keep remaining dough in freezer), remove top sheet of plastic wrap. Cut dough with a 3-inch cookie cutter, dipping cutter in flour between each use; place cookies on baking sheets coated with cooking spray. Discard bottom sheet of plastic wrap; reserve remaining dough scraps. Repeat procedure with remaining frozen dough.

Gently gather reserved dough into a ball; repeat rolling, freezing, and cutting procedure.

Bake at 375° for 8 minutes or until cookies are lightly browned. Remove from baking sheet; cool on a wire rack.

To prepare vanilla icing, combine 1 cup powdered sugar and remaining ingredients in a small bowl; stir with a fork until combined. Drizzle icing over the cookies, or spoon into a small zip-top plastic bag; cut a tiny hole in 1 corner of bag, and pipe designs onto cookies.