Family Chefmate: Christmas Sugar Cookies

This is my families favorite Christmas cookie. During the Christmas season I have to hide these cookies in tins around the house and freezer because I can't ever make enough Christmas sugar cookies to satisfy this crew. I found this recipe when I was in culinary school at Johnson and Wales in Providence. I was at a book store and did not have enough money to buy the cookie book so I just wrote down the recipe on a scratch piece of paper. The only change I have made to the recipe over the past 18 years is to use whole wheat flour instead of all purpose flour. I use King Arthur's white whole wheat flour that is unbleached and not bromated. King Arthur's white whole wheat flour is made from a hard white wheat berries that give it a unique flavor that is milder than most whole wheat flours but has the same amount of fiber as traditional whole wheat flours.

Christmas Sugar Cookies

Preheat oven: 375 degrees
Makes: 50 cookies

1 cup butter
1 cup oil
1 cup white cane sugar
1 cup confectionary sugar
2 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla
4 1/2 cups whole wheat flour (King Arthur's white whole wheat) or white flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon cream of tarter
1/2 teaspoon iodized salt

In a mixer with the paddle attachment whip the butter, oil, white sugar and confectionary sugar together for 2 minutes. Scrap down the sides and continue to whip for 1 more minute. Add the eggs one at a time to the butter and sugar dough. Add the vanilla, baking powder, cream of tarter and salt to the dough. Slowly add the flour 1 cup at a time to the cookie dough. Cover the dough with plastic wrap and chill the dough for 2 hours in the refrigerator or 1 hour in the freezer.

Roll the chilled dough out on a floured counter top with a rolling pin until the dough is 1/4" thick. If the dough sticks just sprinkle the dough, counter and rolling pin with a little more flour. Cut the dough with your favorite cookie cutters (3" cookie cutters will yield 50 cookies). Place the cookies on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper. Bake at 375 degrees for 9 - 10 minutes or until golden brown (I like my cookies brown so they have a nuttier taste). Remove cookies from the oven and allow to continue to cook for 1 more minute on the cookie sheet before they are moved to a cooling rack to cool. When the cookies are cool you can decorate them.

Cookie Icing:
1 bag of confectionary sugar (2#)
2 teaspoons vanilla
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
4 tablespoons cold water

In a large bowl mix the confectionary sugar, vanilla, lemon juice and cold water together with a whisk. If the icing is too thick you can slowly add several drops of water. If the icing is too thin you can add some additional powder sugar.

Decorating the Christmas cookies:
Take the cut out cookies and dip the top of the cookie into the bowl of icing. Allow the icing to drain off for 3 seconds in the bowl. Then place the iced cookie on a counter covered with parchment paper or foil. Decorate the cookies with different colored Christmas sprinkles. These cookies will freeze well. Just let them sit for 1 hour before you pack them in freezer bags or tins so the icing has a chance to set.

Christmas Sugar Cookie Dough