Christmas is approaching, which means it’s time to pull out the cookie cutters. This recipe is a simple, old fashioned standard that I turn to each December.

Ingredients

• butter – half a cup / 115 g
• sugar – three quarters of a cup /150 g
• egg – one
• milk – one tablespoon
• vanilla – half a teaspoon
• flour – 1.25 cup / 175 g
• baking powder – one quarter teaspoon

Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 350 F / 180    C
2. Allow the butter to warm up to room temperature / soften in microwave
3. Cream the butter and then gradually stir in the sugar
4. Add the egg, milk and vanilla, and mix thoroughly
5. Stir in the flour and baking powder, and blend the mixture
6. Arrange by teaspoonfuls on cookie sheets, one inch apart
7. Bake for 8 – 10 minutes, or until very lightly browned

While the cookies are baking

If you’d like to add a bit of colour to these Christmas cookies, place two to three tablespoons of sugar in a small dish and add a couple of drops of food colouring. Stir thoroughly.

After removing cookies from the oven

Gently flatten each cookie with a teaspoon, and lightly sprinkle sugar over each cookie before serving and watching them disappear.

You may also be interested in …

• Chocolate Refrigerator Cookies – The Exceptional EA in the Kitchen (exceptionalea.com)
• Scones – The Exceptional EA in the Kitchen (exceptionalea.com)
• Date and Goat Cheese Appies / Pinchos – The Exceptional EA in the Kitchen (exceptionalea.com)