Shannon’s Kitchen Staples: Family Traditions

There are some things that cannot be topped. Around the holidays there isn’t much better than the comforts provided by same dishes prepared every year; these are the ones you eat and memories flood back, the ones that make you happy just to smell. One of those is my husband’s family’s sugar cookie recipe. He grew up making them with his Nana and mother, and now his mother makes them with my girls and nephews.  We make them all year long, and they are simple, and delicious and fun to make with the family. I hope you enjoy them as much as we do, and that you have a happy holiday season.

Sugar Cookies (makes 5 dozen small cookies)

Ingredients:

  • 1 ½ cup flour
  • ½ tsp Baking Powder
  • ½ tsp Baking Soda
  • ½ tsp salt
  • ½ cup sugar
  • ½ cup butter
  • 1 egg
  • 2 tbsp milk
  • 1 tsp pure vanilla

 Directions:

Stage 1: Preheat your oven to 400 degrees, and line 3 baking sheets with parchment paper.

Stage 2: Sift together dry ingredients. Cut in butter with a fork or pastry cutter until mixture resembles coarse meal. Blend in egg, milk and vanilla.

Stage 3: Roll out dough on a floured board until approximately 1/16 inch thickness. Cut with cookie cutters.

  • Notes: if you would like to make snicker doodles you can roll your cookies in cinnamon and sugar, which I buy already combined in the spice aisle. If you do not want to decorate traditional sugar cookies with icing, now would be the time to sprinkle with flavored or colored sugars, or any other decorative sprinkles.

Stage 4: Bake for 6 to 8 minutes until slightly puffed and golden on edges.

Stage 5: Place everything into the baking dish, and sprinkle with the cheese, and diced butter. Cover with a buttered piece of foil and bake for 30 minutes. Remove the foil and bake for an additional 10-15 minutes until the top is crispy and browned. Serve immediately.

Sugar Cookie Icing

 When I asked my mother-in-law Kathy for this recipe here is the response she sent: “There really isn’t a specific recipe for the frosting. My mother always sifted several cups of powdered sugar into a bowl . Then she melted some butter and mixed in some milk and added it to the powdered sugar until it was the right consistency to spread. She also added a few drops of vanilla and then whatever coloring you wanted. That is the way I have always done it, too. Not sure if this helps.” How is that for a family tradition? I tried her formula and here are the measurements I got.

Ingredients:

  • 1 ½ cups powdered sugar, sifted
  • 3 tablespoons butter, melted and cooled
  • 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
  • 1 tablespoon milk
  • gel food coloring
  • decorative sprinkles

 Directions:

Stage 1: Place cooled cookies on a surface that is easily cleaned and contained, especially if kiddos are helping. I use a parchment or wax paper lined cookie sheet.\

Stage 2: Combine powdered sugar, butter, vanilla and milk, beating until creamy. If your frosting is too thick to spread easily thin with a few more drops of milk to reach desired consistency. If you’d like several colors, divide frosting into bowls and stir in food coloring. Decorate as desired.