Christmas Sugar Cookie Mayhem

Traditions play a big role in every culture. Some traditions may fade over time, but there are others that we hold onto for dear life. For me, and many others, Christmas traditions are some of the most cherished. However, not all traditions are old traditions, some get added later on, but that doesn't make them any less important. One recent tradition for my family is the making, cutting out, baking, and decorating of Christmas Sugar Cookies. Not only are these the best sugar cookies that I've ever had, so good you don't even need icing, that have just the right amount of crunch, but I also gained one of my favorite memories from this new tradition.

Three years ago, me, one of my brothers, and my two (now) sisters-in-law, all gathered at my parents’ house to make Christmas Sugar Cookies. My mom (a wonderful baker) began to make the cookie dough while we all sat talking. First, she preheated the oven to °400, then she began to cream ¾ cup butter and ¾ cup sugar. After those were creamed, she then beat in 2 large eggs and 1 teaspoon of vanilla. Next, she added 2 teaspoons of baking powder and 2 ¾ cups of flour (adding one cup at a time, mixing well after each addition). At this point in the process, the dough can become very stiff, so if necessary, my mom would blend the last cup of flour in by hand. After doing this, she would then divide the dough into two balls and then give it to us to roll and cut out the cookies. Note: this is the original recipe, my mom generally makes a double batch, so she would double all the measurements. While we did that, my mom would then make some icing. First, she would beat a ½ cup of unsalted butter until fluffy. Then she would beat in a pinch of salt, 1 tablespoon meringue powder, and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract. Next, she would add in 2 ½ - 3 cups of confectioners' sugar and 2 tablespoons of milk and beat until smooth. Lastly, she would adjust the consistency to her liking by adding more confectioners' sugar or milk. Note: she would make a few batches depending on how many cookies and how many colors she wanted.

After my mom had finished whipping everything up and the cookies were finished baking, we all started dyeing the icing different colors and the mayhem began. Sara (one of my sisters-in-law) went to work trying to dye some icing the perfect shade of red. We didn't have any regular red food coloring, so she used some red gel food coloring instead and added scoop after scoop after scoop and still couldn't get the shade of her liking. She added and added and added and finally gave up. She took the icing and iced a cookie and took a bite, because she deserved it, and instantly gagged, the look on her face; priceless. With cookie still in her mouth, she informed us that the icing tasted like perfume. Just at this moment, my brother, Sara's husband, came into the kitchen and she asked him to take a bite, which he did, and he reacted the same way, only he took a bigger bite and it left his teeth and tongue stained red. At this point, we were all laughing hysterically and much to my amazement, Sara talked my mom and other sister-in-law into each taking a bite even though they knew that it was bad. Sara then turned to me and began trying to get me taste it, which I refused, and then she said: "We're in this together. Are you in or are you out?" I took a moment to think about it, and then ate a piece of the cookie too.

Though this tradition is a new one, that memory is still so vivid in my mind and brings a smile to my face every time I think about it. Every year since, when gather for this tradition, we bring up this memory and laugh and joke and tease. Hopefully, it too will be passed down over time and become part of the tradition. My favorite part of the story though, was simply being with my family, the rest was just the perfume-tasting icing on top.

Sugar Cookie Recipe

Ingredients:

¾ cup butter

¾ cup sugar

2 large eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla

2 ¾ cups flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

Instructions:

Preheat oven to °400. Then Cream butter and sugar. Beat in eggs and vanilla. Add baking powder and flour, one cup at a time, mixing well after each addition. The dough will be very stiff. It may be necessary to blend the last cup of flour in by hand. Divide the dough into two balls. Do not chill dough.

Icing Recipe

Ingredients:

½ cup of unsalted butter

A pinch of salt

1 tablespoon meringue powder

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 ½ - 3 cups confectioners’ sugar

2-4 tablespoons milk

Instructions:

Beat the butter until fluffy. Then beat in the salt, meringue powder, and vanilla extract. Add the confectioners’ sugar and 2 tablespoons of milk and beat until smooth. Scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl. Lastly, adjust the consistency as needed by adding more confectioners’ sugar or milk.