Oops... Did You Forget To Make Cut-Out Cookies?

My dear husband reminds me that I am the Grinch of the family. I don't mean to be the Grinch... I do like Christmas. I just don't like decorating my home in NOVEMBER and leaving it all up until the end of JANUARY as does my dear true love. I am far outnumbered here, as all five of my precious treasures from the Lord (the monkeys, as I have been known to occasionally call them... with great affection) so my, er.... "our" home is decorated for Christmas. And will be until the end of January. This is a matter of biblical submission for me - I am not kidding! Not worth the fight after 21 years of marriage.

All this to say, that if you're behind the proverbial 8-ball on your Christmas baking, have no fear. I found the best no-chill cut-out cookie dough ever. I like it 'cuz I don't need to think ahead about making the dough and chilling it for hours. If I find that our family will indeed be homebound (or should I say quarantined?) for Christmas, I thought it would be fun for the kids to make and bake cookies.

So here you have it... my favorite recipe for no-chill Christmas cookies. Enjoy.


No-chill Cutout Sugar Cookies

Makes about 24

1 cup butter, softened
1 cup granulated sugar
1 large egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 teaspoons baking powder
3 cups all-purpose flour

Preheat oven to 375°F. In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar with an electric mixer. Beat in eggs and vanilla. Add baking powder and flour one cup at a time, mixing after each addition. Dough will be stiff.

Do not chill dough. Divide dough in half. Roll each half about 1/8 inch thick. I recommend you roll it out between two sheets of waxed paper to prevent sticking. Dip cutters into flour before each use. Transfer the cookies to cookie sheet. If you aren't planning on icing the cookies, sprinkle them now (before baking) with colored sugars, etc.

Bake cookies on ungreased cookie sheet on middle rack of oven for 8-12 minutes, or until cookies are lightly browned. Cool completely before icing.

For icing, you can make your own with powdered sugar, vanilla, butter and milk, or take the quick way out and simply buy little containers of white frosting and add your own food coloring.

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There, now my honey can't REALLY accuse me of being Grinchy, because I contributed to the wonderful Christmas Season by sharing a recipe.