Butter Cookies

Every time I think about making cutout cookies I go looking for the perfect recipe. I never find one I like. Now I have to tell you something funny. I have the perfect recipe, I have used it maybe 20 times over the past 30 years. I have no idea why I feel I need to find a better one. I think it is because I really don't like to make cookies, "Oh my, did I say that out loud!" yes, cookie making is my least favorite thing to do. But my goal is to get over it and just start doing it. So today I am going to go make my cookie dough so it will be ready for me to make some Easter cookies this weekend. I am going to try to talk my husband into either doing a hike up to Berry Creek Falls tomorrow or a 40 mile bike ride from Morgan Hill into San Jose and back. We have a trail we love to take, well I like the Morgan Hill one and he likes the Vasona Creek trail. Mine is about 10 miles longer and it is a beautiful peaceful ride, you might see a few more bikers on the path as with Vasona there are a lot of people walking and a lot more bike riders.  
Have a wonderful Easter everyone.


2 1/2 cups flour
1 1/4 cups powder sugar
1 cup butter, soften
1 egg
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp cream of tarter
1 tsp almond extract
Frosting....I will admit I do not frost mine, I don't like really sweet cookies.
4 cups powder sugar
1/2 cup butter
3-4 tbsp. milk
2 tsp vanilla
Food coloring
In large mixer bowl combine all cookie ingredients, beat at medium speed, scraping bowl often until mixed well ( 3-4 minutes. If necessary chill the dough about 2 hours. Heat the oven to 375. Roll out dough 1/2 at a time on well-floured surface ( I use powder sugar)
Roll 1/4" thickness, cut with cookie cutters. Place 1" apart on cookies sheets. Bake for 6-10 minutes until the edges are slightly browned.
In mixing bowl combine all of frosting ingredients, beat at low speed, scraping bowl often, until fluffy. If desire add food coloring to your icing mix. Decorate cookies.
If you would like to hang these on your tree at Christmas then while still warm use a straw to put a hole in the cookie.
 I do not use the icing recipe I like to use fondant and I just cut it out
in with the same cookie cutter, but I am going to use royal icing this time.
 Now to find the perfect Royal Icing recipe

Well this is not the perfect cookie icing, it is way too sweet. If I were a diabetic I would be in the hospital with one bite of the recipe I used. 

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