Shoveling snow, fixing a toilet, replacing a burned out Christmas bulb, unclogging a drain — and now pressing a decades old cookie cutter down into soft dough because I asked him to. I was making sugar cookies, and I thought it would be fun for him to make a few as he did with his Mom when he was a boy. From the cherished — yet a bit banged up — set of old, copper cookie cutters she gave me a while back, he chose the star first. Then he moved on to what he described as “a Santa with a pack on his back.” I still have a hard time seeing Santa in that shape, but I believe him. Christmas carols, laughter, and eating the ones that didn't turn out just right — what a fun Saturday night!
SUGAR COOKIES
1 cup sugar
1 cup butter, softened
3 oz. cream cheese, softened
2-1/4 cups flour
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. almond extract
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
1 egg
Beat all ingredients together until a ball forms. Chill dough 2 hours.
Roll out chilled dough onto floured surface. Cut with cookie cutters.
Bake 8 minutes at 350°.
To decorate cookies with colored sugar sprinkles after baking, mix one part Light Karo Syrup with two parts water. Lightly brush cooled cookie with mixture and, before it dries, pour the sprinkles onto the cookie (or press cookie into sprinkles). Tap off excess sprinkles. Let dry.
