Can you even believe the holiday season is upon us? November flew by and now our calendars are filling up with this season’s events. Today I’m preparing for a cookie exchange my neighbor is hosting next week. Weeknight outings and activities can be tough with getting the twins fed, bathed, teeth brushed and ready for night-night so I’m choosing an easy recipe this time around. I’m all about reducing the stress in my life and making cookies should NOT be stressful!
I sort of came up with this recipe by mistake. A few years ago I was making a batch of sugar cookies and inadvertently mixed up the amount of vanilla extract and almond extract. I didn’t realize it until the cookies were cooling and I was doing my favorite thing-tasting! I personally love almond anything so the extra almond flavor was a pleasant and welcomed surprise. Below is my version of the easiest sugar cookie recipe, ever.
Recipe:
1 1/2 cups butter, softened
5 cups all-purpose flour
2 cups white sugar
4 eggs
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 teaspoons of almond extract
(Recipe makes 30 or so cookies, depending on how big your cookie cutter shapes are.)
Directions: In a large mixing bowl, cream together butter and sugar until smooth. Beat in eggs, vanilla and almond extract. Stir in the flour, baking powder and salt. Cover and chill for at least one hour.
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Roll out dough on a floured surface. I aim for 1/2 inch thick. Use your festive cookie cutters to cut dough into shapes. Place cookies one inch apart on ungreased cookie sheets.
Bake 6-8 minutes in preheated oven. Cool completely on wire racks. Now it’s time to decorate! You can always enlist the help of your little ones for this part. Use your favorite icing recipe for decorating. Not in to the extra work of decorating? Just sprinkle with a little powdered sugar and boom! Done!
See there? So easy! Wishing you lots of stress-free holiday baking!