A Christmas Tradition: Painted Sugar Cookies

I can't remember a single year in my 20 Christmases or so that my family did not make painted sugar cookies. When my brother, sister and I were kids, my parents always made a double batch of the cookie dough early on in December and we would spend hours decorating the delicious cookies. One year my mom was hospitalized a couple of days before Christmas because she had a bad asthma attack. The doctors were not sure if she would get out in time for Christmas morning and, at the young age, I just didn't know what I would do if my mom was not there for our early morning rituals. Even then, we still managed to get these cookies made. We took boxes of them to the hospital, passing them out to the nurses and doctors that walked the halls. A Christmas miracle occurred and my mom was able to come home on Christmas Eve. There's just something about these cookies, perhaps just the memories, but they spread Christmas joy and a childish happiness.

Now that we are all grown, Christmas consists of watching my niece and nephew eagerly tear open their gifts before the family digs into a pancake breakfast. However, we still manage to get these cookies made every year and it's a tradition that is being spread to the next generation of our family. I hope you'll give these a try- they're fun for both children and adults!

What you need for the cookie dough:
1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
1 cup margarine or butter, softened
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 tablespoon cream of tartar

For the paint:
1 egg yolk
1 teaspoon water
Food coloring

Mix powdered sugar, margarine, egg, vanilla and almond extract.

Stir in flour baking soda and cream of tartar. Cover and refrigerate for at least 3 hours.

Heat oven to 375 degrees. Divide dough into halves and roll each half thinly onto a lightly floured surface. Cut into desired shapes. Place on an ungreased cookie sheet.

To make the paint, mix 1 teaspoon of water with the egg yolk. Separate into however many colors you need. Add a couple drops and food coloring to each and begin painting! You can also use sprinkles and decorating sugars for extra pizazz.
Bake for about 6 or 7 minutes.

 I just love how these cookies turn out. I love watching the kids decorate them and then watch them change after baking in the oven.

I hope you'll try these cookies and maybe even make them a tradition in your own home.

Merry Christmas and happy baking!
Rosie

Source: Betty Crocker's Christmas Cookbook with loving modifications from years of baking these