Christmas Cookies

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'm having serious nostalgia for the sugar cookies we made when I was small. I'm sure my mom got the cookie and frosting recipe from one of her old battered betty crocker.

I don't think I'll be able to recreate because they probably both have shortening I actually have shortening in my pantry (does it go bad?) but can't bring myself to bake with it.

This is a good, old fashioned rolled sugar cookie recipe for making cut out cookies. It’s comes out perfect every time and you don’t even have to refrigerate the dough before working with it. No shortening! I use butter.

Rolled Sugar Cookies
Pillsbury

1 Cup sugar
1 Cup margarine or butter
3 TBS milk
1 tsp vanilla
1 egg
3 cups all purpose flour
1 ½ tsp baking powder
½ tsp salt

Heat oven to 400°F. In a large bowl, combine sugar, margarine, milk, vanilla and egg; mix well. Stir in flour, baking powder and salt; mix well.

On lightly floured surface, roll out 1/3 of dough at a time to 1/8 in. thickness. Cut with cookie cutters. Place one inch apart on ungreased cookies sheet.

Bake 5-9 minutes or until edges are light brown. Immediately remove from cookie sheets.

We ice them with this glaze. It dries with a bit of a gloss and sets up nice and firm so you can stack cookies without frosting coming off, but it still tastes good. I usually double the recipe so I can make about 5 different colors of icing in different little bowls.

Sugar Cookie Icing

1 Cup confectioners sugar
1 Heaping tablespoon milk
1 Tablespoon light corn syrup
1/8 Teaspoon flavored extract of choice*
Food coloring

*We usually use almond extract. If you use vanilla, you have to use the clear extract if you want bright white frosting.

Literally making these right now for santa cookies. Will report if he eats them all and leaves the sweet sweet motherload of gifts.

[Anonymous]

We make these every year

https://www.hersheyland.com/recipes/hersheys-perfectly-chocolate-chocolate-chip-cookies.html

My brother's friend went to college with Santa and found at that these are his favorite. True story.

[Anonymous]

Candy, not cookie -- but a holiday tradition in my family. Pralines, and for candy they aren't hard.

https://rosebakes.com/easy-pecan-pralines/

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'm having serious nostalgia for the sugar cookies we made when I was small. I'm sure my mom got the cookie and frosting recipe from one of her old battered betty crocker.

I don't think I'll be able to recreate because they probably both have shortening I actually have shortening in my pantry (does it go bad?) but can't bring myself to bake with it.

I've made the 1970s era Betty Crocker "traditional" sugar cookies without shortening before. They taste the same when made with 100% butter but you end up needing to add some flour by eye to stiffen the dough. And the dough chilling time is important. If the dough is a bit hard to cut out, keep flouring the pin and dough slab.

In the 1970s, we probably used half Crisco and half Imperial margarine at our house per the Betty Crocker recipe. But nobody remembers because we stopped using shortening so long ago.

We cut out Christmas trees and put green sprinkles and Cinnamon Imperials as decorations.

Here's the recipe as it was. I've made it at least 3 times with 100% butter and it turns out fine.

https://bakeitwithlove.com/vintage-betty-crocker-rolled-sugar-cookies/

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'm having serious nostalgia for the sugar cookies we made when I was small. I'm sure my mom got the cookie and frosting recipe from one of her old battered betty crocker.

I don't think I'll be able to recreate because they probably both have shortening I actually have shortening in my pantry (does it go bad?) but can't bring myself to bake with it.

I think it’s okay to bake with shortening, once in a while, to carry on those traditions. If the cookies you made with your mom called for shortening, then let yourself recreate them for the memories.

I think shortening can go rancid, however, which would not only be a waste of time and energy, but would spoil your experience. It may be good a little while past the date, especially if it’s unopened, but you may need to get some more if it’s been a while.

[Anonymous]

[quote=Anonymous]I'm having serious nostalgia for the sugar cookies we made when I was small. I'm sure my mom got the cookie and frosting recipe from one of her old battered betty crocker.

I don't think I'll be able to recreate because they probably both have shortening I actually have shortening in my pantry (does it go bad?) but can't bring myself to bake with it.[/quote]

Smell it. If it doesn't smell or taste rancid or look funny, you can use it.

[Anonymous]

https://marisasitaliankitchen.com/italian-mostaccioli-cookie-recipe/

[Anonymous]

I also make those mint brownies and oreo balls.