Santa Approved Sugar Cookies

i realize i may be a little late in the game posting a christmas cookie recipe the day before christmas eve, seeing as every other food blogger out there has been giving you cookie recipe after cookie recipe since halloween.

but. this is the best christmas cookie recipe out there for santa. i promise you. especially because the frosting to cookie ratio is easily 2:1. that's two parts frosting, one part cookie, in case you were confused.

my family has been making this frosted sugar cookie recipe for thanksgiving and christmas since i can remember. we look forward to these all.year.long. no joke.

they're pretty simple and easy to throw together and they look so festive with their red and green frosting and sprinkles, that if you need just one more cookie recipe, you know, for the jolly fat guy in the big red suit....you should make these.

merry christmas!

Mom's Sugar Cookies
makes about 48 smallish cookies

1.5 c granulated sugar
1 c butter
1 egg
1.5 tsp vanilla
1 tbsp milk
1.5 tsp baking powder
2.25 - 2.5 c flour, plus more for later

preheat oven to 325.

cream together the sugar, butter and eggs. add in the vanilla, milk and baking powder. slowly add the flour. the dough will be slightly sticky.

roll the dough into one inch balls. in a small bowl, pour your additional flour and using a the bottom of a glass, dip the glass in flour and flatten out the balls of cookie dough.

bake for about 9 - 10 minutes. the cookies may not look done on top, but the bottoms will be brown.

Buttercream Frosting

3.5 c powdered sugar
3/4 c butter
1.5 tsp vanilla
3-4 tsp milk
green and red food coloring
green and red sprinkles

cream together about 1.5 cups of the powdered sugar with the butter, add the vanilla. slowly alternate between adding additional powdered sugar and milk until your frosting is the correct consistency.

divide your frosting into two bowls. put 1-2 drops of green food coloring in one of the bowls and the same amount of red food coloring in the other bowl. mix together till you get the color green and red you want. i prefer mine on the lighter side, because the sprinkles are darker in color.

frost and top with sprinkles!

these cookies freeze really well, so you can definitely make a double batch for thanksgiving and they will last till christmas!