Old-Fashioned Christmas Cookie Recipes

(Photo by Bruna Branco on Unsplash)

[NOTE: I’ve been busy with major housecleaning, shopping, doing Christmas stuff, cooking, doing homework for an online class called “Online Obsessions,” and hanging out with my husband before he returns to work next week (he’s been off for the last three months recovering from a total knee replacement). I’m getting caught up with responding to your comments and visiting your blog sites. I apologize for the delay!]

I inherited these recipes from my mother, and I have no idea where she got them, but these are the cookie recipes I use at Christmas. They also make great cookies for Valentine’s Day. Rich, sugary, buttery, spicy, and delicious!

Old-Fashioned Butter Cookies

3 cups sifted flour

1 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. salt

1 cup butter or margarine (butter is best)

3/4 cup sugar

1 egg

2 tbsp. cream or milk

1 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Sift flour with baking powder and salt and set aside. Cream the butter. Gradually add sugar to the butter, creaming well. Stir in egg, cream, and vanilla. Add dry ingredients gradually and mix well. Chill for at least an hour in the refrigerator. Roll out, one third at a time, on floured surface to 1/8 inch thickness. Cut into desired shapes with cookie cutters. (This dough also works well in a cookie press.) Place on ungreased cookie sheets. Bake at 400 degrees for 5-8 minutes or until edges turn golden brown. Let cool. Frost with powdered sugar frosting and decorate.

Gingerbread Cookies

1/2 cup shortening (butter works best)

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 cup dark molasses

1 egg

2 1/2 cups sifted flour

1/2 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. baking powder

1 tsp. ginger

1 tsp. cloves

1 tsp. cinnamon

1/2 tsp. salt

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cream shortening and sugar well. Blend in molasses. Add egg and beat well. Stir in sifted dry ingredients. Chill the dough for three hours in the refrigerator. Roll dough on floured surface to 1/8 – 1/4 inch thickness. Cut into desired shapes with cookie cutters. Bake on ungreased cookie sheets at 350 degrees for 10-12 minutes. (Do not over-bake.) Let cool. Dust with powdered sugar or frost with powdered sugar frosting and decorate.

Serve your cookies with milk, hot chocolate, tea, or coffee, and enjoy!

I love the Hot Chocolate Scene from Polar Express:

Christmas is coming! Make it Merry! And today is the Winter Solstice – the shortest day of the year! Or, longest night – however you want to look at it. LOL!

Dawn Pisturino

December 21, 2022

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