Grandma's Holiday Cookies {a/k/a Cut-Out Cookies}
Author: 
Recipe type: Dessert, Cookies
Prep time: 
Cook time: 
Total time: 
Serves: several dozen cookies
 
Ingredients
For the cookies:
  • 1.5 t baking soda
  • 2 T milk (I use skim milk)
  • 1 c unsalted butter (2 sticks), slightly softened
  • 2 c sugar
  • 3 eggs
  • 1 t vanilla
  • 1.5 t cream of tartar
  • 4.5 c flour (plus .5 c more for rolling out the dough)
  • 1 t table salt
For the icing:
  • 1 c unsalted butter (2 sticks), softened
  • 5 c powdered sugar, sifted
  • 1 t vanilla
  • .25 c milk, warmed in the microwave (I use skim milk)
Instructions
Prepare the Cookies:
  1. Place the baking soda and milk in a small bowl, and stir to dissolve the baking soda.
  2. In a large mixing bowl, or the bowl of your stand mixer, add the butter and sugar. Mix until they are very well-incorporated. Add the eggs and mix again, stopping to scrape down the sides of the bowl periodically.
  3. Add the baking soda and milk mixture, and the vanilla, and mix again.
  4. Add the cream of tartar, flour, and salt, and mix until everything is incorporated.
  5. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap, or transfer to a container with a snap-tight lid, and refrigerate overnight.
Make the Cut-Outs and Bake the Cookies:
  1. When you are ready to make the cookies, liberally dust your work surface and rolling pin with flour. Don't be shy! You don't want the dough to stick once you have made your cut-outs.
  2. Heat the oven to 400 and prepare a few rimmed cookie sheets with parchment paper.
  3. Take a handful of cookie dough and roll it out, adding flour as needed. I like to keep a small plastic spatula nearby to loosen the dough from the counter. If you can flip the dough before you cut out your cookies, you are in good shape!
  4. Roll the dough to be less than .25" thick - if they are thicker, they will still taste good, but they may not be recognizable after they bake! - and cut out your shapes. Place them on the cookie sheet at least an inch apart.
  5. Bake for 6-10 minutes. They may bake very quickly, depending on your oven and how thick the dough is.
Make the Frosting and Frost the Cookies:
  1. In a large bowl, or in the bowl of a stand mixer, beat the butter until it is smooth. Add the powdered sugar, mixing as you go - add the powdered sugar slowly, so it doesn't poof all over the kitchen!
  2. Add the vanilla, and beat until the icing has a uniform consistency.
  3. Add warm milk, one Tablespoon at a time, until the icing is smooth and the right consistency to spread. You most likely will not use the full .25 cup.
  4. Decorate your cookies as desired! I like to separate the icing into several small bowls and add different food coloring to each, so I have them all ready at once.
Notes
The widget that formats these recipes can't be altered, but the timing here is: 10 minutes to mix the cookies; refrigerate overnight; 30 minutes to make the cut-outs; 6-10 minutes to bake; and decorating time to your heart's content!
Recipe by My Utensil Crock at https://www.myutensilcrock.com/2017/12/17/grandmas-holiday-cookies-aka-cut-out-cookies/