Dora's Christmas Cookies

Ingredients

• 2 cups white sugar
• 1 cup shortening
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon almond extract
• 2 eggs
• 6 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup milk

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (180 degrees C).
2. Mix together sugar, shortening or margarine, vanilla extract and almond extract Cream these together until light. Add eggs and beat well.
3. Combine flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt ( use 1/2 teas. if using margarine). Add to sugar mixture alternately with milk, ending with flour mixture. Dough will be quite stiff and may require mixing the last bit of flour in by hand.
4. Roll out portions of dough on floured board and cut with your favorite cookie cutters.
5. Place on greased cookie sheets and bake for 10 to 12 minutes . Test for doneness by touching lightly with your finger. If there is no dent, they're done. Cool and frost, decorate with colored sugars and colored frosting..
6. Note: If you like crisp cookies, roll the dough thinner. For more cake-like dough roll thicker and use metal cookie cutters. Originally we used Anise oil to flavor the dough (5 to 6 drops) in place of the vanilla and almond extracts. But my children prefer the extracts.

Butter Cookies II

Ingredients

• 1 cup butter
• 1 cup white sugar
• 1 egg
• 2 2/3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Directions

1. In a large bowl, cream together the butter and white sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the egg, then stir in the vanilla. Combine the flour and salt; stir into the sugar mixture. Cover dough, and chill for at least one hour. Chill cookie sheets.
2. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Press dough out onto ungreased, chilled cookie sheets.
3. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes in the preheated oven, or until lightly golden at the edges. Remove from cookie sheets to cool on wire racks.

Sugar Cookies

Ingredients

• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 3/4 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 egg, beaten
• 1 tablespoon milk
• Powdered sugar, for rolling out dough

Directions

Sift together flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside. Place butter and sugar in large bowl of electric stand mixer and beat until light in color. Add egg and milk and beat to combine. Put mixer on low speed, gradually add flour, and beat until mixture pulls away from the side of the bowl. Divide the dough in half, wrap in waxed paper, and refrigerate for 2 hours.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

Sprinkle surface where you will roll out dough with powdered sugar. Remove 1 wrapped pack of dough from refrigerator at a time, sprinkle rolling pin with powdered sugar, and roll out dough to 1/4-inch thick. Move the dough around and check underneath frequently to make sure it is not sticking. If dough has warmed during rolling, place cold cookie sheet on top for 10 minutes to chill. Cut into desired shape, place at least 1-inch apart on greased baking sheet, parchment, or silicone baking mat, and bake for 7 to 9 minutes or until cookies are just beginning to turn brown around the edges, rotating cookie sheet halfway through baking time. Let sit on baking sheet for 2 minutes after removal from oven and then move to complete cooling on wire rack. Serve as is or ice as desired. Store in airtight container for up to 1 week.