Christmas cookies!

I spent the day baking Christmas cookies for Paul's family get-together on Christmas day. In the end I'll have made three kinds of cookies; I made the first two today.

First I made ginger cookies. I used the recipe from the Better Homes and Gardens Cookbook (Celebrating the Promise) that I got last Christmas from my parents. :)
Here's the recipe and some pictures.

Ginger Cookies


Prep: 20 minutes Bake: 8 minutes per batch
Oven: 350 degrees Fahrenheit Makes: about 120 cookies

4 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
4 tsp ground ginger
2 tsp baking soda
1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp ground cloves
1/4 tsp salt
1 1/2 cups shortening
2 cups sugar
2 eggs
1/2 cup molasses
3/4 cup sugar

1) Preheat oven to 350. In a medium bowl stir together flour, ginger, baking soda, cinnamon, cloves, and salt; set aside. In a large mixing bowl beat shortening with an electric mixer on low speed for 30 seconds. Add the 2 cups sugar. Beat until combined. Beat in eggs and molasses until combined. Beat in as much of the flour mixture as you can with the mixer. Stir in any remaining flour mixture.

2) Shape dough into 1inch balls. Roll balls in the 3/4 cup sugar. Place 1 1/2 inches apart on an ungreased cookie sheet. Bake for 8 to 9 minutes or until bottoms are light brown and tops are puffed. Cool on cookie sheet 1 minute. Transfer to a wire rack and let cool.

Next I made old-fashioned sugar cookies (also got the recipe from Better Homes and Gardens). I decided to go the lazy route with these and not worry about making cut-outs. To make these festive I rolled them in red and green sugar instead of regular sugar.

 

 

Old-Fashioned Sugar Cookies

Prep: 30 minutes Chill: 2 hours Bake: 9 minutes per batch
Oven: 375 degrees Fahrenheit Makes: about 48 cookies

1 cup butter, softened
1 1/2 cups sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp cream of tartar
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp vanilla
1/4 tsp salt
2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 to 1/3 cup sugar

1) In a large mixing bowl beat the butter with an electric mixer on medium to high speed for 30 seconds. Add the 1 1/2 cups sugar; beat until combined. Beat in eggs, cream of tartar, baking soda, vanilla, and salt until combined. Beat in as much of the flour as you can with the mixer. Stir in remaining flour. Cover and chill for 2 to 3 hours.

2) Preheat oven to 375. Shape dough into 1-inch balls. Roll balls in the 1/4 cup sugar to coat. Place balls 2 inches apart on an ungreased cookie sheet. Bake for 9 to 12 minutes or until light brown. Transfer to a wire rack and let cool.

Tomorrow, after I get home from work, Paul and I are going to finish up the baking and make snickerdoodles.  I'll upload pictures and the recipe tomorrow.