Sugar Cookies

Growing up, these cookies were the first sign that Christmas was right around the corner.  My mom would prop me up on the counter and we would mix these sugar cookies up while the Christmas tunes blared in the kitchen.  It was (and still is) the perfect way to get into the holiday spirit.  

I love these cookies not only because of the memories associated with them but also because they are absolutely delicious.  Buttery and soft they are the perfect sugar cookie.  Step aside Lofthouse Sugar Cookies, the real deal is in town...minus the canned frosting.  My mom always used canned cream cheese frosting and to be honest, that is the way I like these.  I have tried making them "fancier" with homemade frosting but they just don't taste right.  

Make these your new holiday tradition.  

My mom wrote me out a new card--hers is green, has oil, sugar, and flour caked all over it and you can hardly read it.  I adore that recipe card.

Start by adding sugar

Powdered sugar

Butter

Oil

Eggs (clearly my Mom's hands and not my sausage fingers)

And vanilla into the bowl of a stand mixer.

Mix until light and fluffy

Then add flour

Baking soda

Cream of tartar (this is what keeps these soft...I think)

And salt

Mix just until combined again.

Roll out the cookies and bake for 8-10 minutes.

Soft buttery perfection.

Frost with store bought, canned cream cheese frosting

Use fancy frosting (aka from a tube) to create holly leaves

And a red hot for a holly berry.

Tada!

Amazing I tell you.  

My Mom and I had a good laugh about these cookies last weekend.  We were decorating them and I asked "Did you come up with this whole holly berry giddy-up yourself?"  While laughing my mom said "yes, yes I did."  As long as I can remember my mom decorated these cookies just like this...white frosting, green leaves and a red hot.  I love them.  And her.  I will continue to decorate these cookies like this until the day I die.  Mark.my.words.  

Sugar Cookies

1 cup sugar

1 cup powdered sugar

1 cup butter

3/4 cup oil

2 eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla

4 1/2 cups flour

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon cream of tartar

Frosting and Red Hots for decorating 

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. 

In the bowl of a stand mixer combine the sugar, powdered sugar, butter, oil, eggs and vanilla.  Beat for about 2 minutes or until light and fluffy.  

Add the flour, salt, baking soda and cream of tartar.  Stir again just until combined.  

Roll into small balls (I used my cookie scoop then rolled the dough between my hands.  If you don't do this you will get the ridges from the cookie scoop) and place onto a baking sheet.  You do not need to grease the cookie sheet.  

Bake for about 8-10 minutes just until the very edges start to brown, don't over cook these.  

Frost with white frosting and decorate as you please.  I encourage you to use fancy frosting in a tube and create holly leaves and use a red hot for a holly berry.  Just sayin'.  

Enjoy!

Recipe by: Sue Curtis.