Christmas Cookie Memories

Happy Monday, and welcome to the last blog hop with my friends from The Blended Blog.

The big day is less than a week away, so today we're sharing Christmas memories.  This time of year, as I'm baking and preparing goodies for our holiday celebrations, I'm reminded of my Grandma Mary. She loved sweets of all kinds, but cookies were her very favorite.

Although Grandpa Ed and Grandma Mary lived in California, we were usually together for Christmas.  And every year, our celebrations started with the traditional baking and decorating of sugar cookies.  Grandma would have all sorts of sprinkles and candies on hand, and my brother and sister and I would have a competition to see who could create the most elaborate cookie.

My mother continued the tradition, and as soon as my boys were old enough, they joined the fun. C could take it or leave it.  He was usually good for a few minutes of humoring me, and then was off to play with his cars.  But the year T turned three, he decided that making sugar cookies was the greatest fun in all the world.

He wanted to help measure the ingredients, mix the dough, roll it out, and cut the cookies.  He climbed up on the counter (not normally allowed, but he needed leverage), giggling the entire time, and was soon covered from head to toe in flour. And when it was time to decorate, he used so much frosting and sprinkles that his creations were mostly inedible.

His joy was infectious, and we had the best time making those cookies.  By the next year, he was mostly interested in eating them, and after a few minutes, joined his brother to play with toys.  We still make sugar cookies every year, and maybe someday, I'll have a grandchild up on the counter, giggling and covered in flour.

Grandma Mary's Sugar Cookies

We usually double this recipe, but single batch amounts are given below.

3-2/3 C flour

2-1/2 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. salt

1-1/2 C granulated sugar

2/3 C shortening

2 eggs

1 tsp. vanilla

4 tsp. milk

Sift dry ingredients together and set aside.  Cream shortening and sugar until creamy.  Add eggs one at a time and beat well.  Add vanilla.  Add flour mixture and milk alternately, a little bit at a time.  Cover and refrigerate dough for one hour.  On a floured surface, roll out dough and cut with cookie cutters.  Place on greased cookie sheets, and bake for 9 minutes at 400 degrees, until edges are just turning brown.  After cooling, decorate cookies with icing.

Next, head over to Deena's blog to read about her Christmas memories!