Mom's Sugar Cookies

In my mind I equate these cookies with Christmastime. Growing up, Mom would make our teachers a Christmas gift every year and it was a giant bucket full of homemade cookies and treats: sugar cookies, bon bons, shortbread...you name it, she made it. My sister and I "helped," of course, but I don't know how many hours Mom spent on those buckets every year. We had so many teachers who had my sister and then couldn't wait the two years until I was in their class so they would get another bucket at Christmas.

Mom would always frost the cookies in her homemade white frosting (recipe below). Once it hardened, Marie and I got out the cheapy, plastic, multi-colored paintbrushes and food coloring. Our job was to "paint" designs on the cookies. We loved that the darker you made the design, the more it dyed the mouth of the person eating it.

I don't have the time to make Tyler's teachers a whole bunch of cookies like my mom, but I do try to make treats when I get a chance. These cookies are easy and quick to make and a great holiday activity for kids to decorate and take home. Plus, food coloring is really easy to wash off clothes and faces. :-)

Cookies

• 1 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup shortening (Crisco)
• 2 eggs
• 1/4 tsp nutmeg
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 2 1/2 cups flour

Cream sugar and shortening. Add eggs. Mix in dry ingredients. Add vanilla and mix until combined. Roll out dough about 1/4 inch thick on floured board and cut with cookie cutters. Place on ungreased cookie sheet and bake at 400 degrees for 5-7 minutes, until lightly brown around the edges. Remove cookies from sheet while hot and cool on a rack.

NOTES: My mom likes crispier cookies whereas I prefer mine a bit softer. She would roll her dough thinner. Makes more cookies and cooks faster, but you get a crunchier cookie. I roll mine thicker and cook them for about 6 minutes. You REALLY have to watch them because they burn quickly.

Frosting

• powdered sugar
• milk

Place powdered sugar in bowl. Slowly add milk. If you add too much milk, just add more powdered sugar. Frosting can be refrigerated for several days and reused.

NOTES: Mom left ours white for the cookies. When I made mine for the Oscars Party recently, I used food coloring to dye the frosting ahead of time instead of painting all the cookies. Mom also uses this frosting on our cakes, usually with a little added vanilla.

Serves: 1 1/2 dozen, depending on how thick you make them and how big your cookie cutters are
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Total Time (not including frosting): 15 minutes

Recipe from the kitchen of Mom!