How old does something have to be before it’s considered an antique? I suppose the cookie cutters I used to make these sugar cookie Santas and trees haven’t quite made the cut-off yet, but I calculate that they’re at least 23 years old, possibly more.
With the exception that I used my own favorite recipe, these Christmas cookies are exact replicas of the version we used to make with my grandmother when I was very little. These simple and gloriously thick sugar cookies would be carefully cut-out with well floured cookie cutters, gently placed on cookie sheets (lest the tree should end up star-less, or Santa feet-less) and topped generously with red and green sprinkles before baking. Then on Christmas Eve I would laboriously select the best cookies to leave out for Santa by the fireplace. I think the big red guy appreciated my efforts.
Old Fashioned Sugar Cookies (Originally published on the Food Network website)
1 cup butter, unsalted
1 cup white sugar
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1 teaspoon vanilla
3 cups flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
In a bowl, cream the butter and sugar.
Beat in the eggs and vanilla.
In a second bowl, combine and mix well the flour, baking powder, and salt.
Stir flour into butter mixture 1 cup at a time.
Chill dough for 3 to 4 hours.
Roll out dough and cut into shapes with cookie cutters or a knife. My Note: Roll the dough out thickly (around 1/4 of an inch).
Bake on a sheet pan or a parchment lined sheet pan in a preheated 350 degree F oven for 10 to 15 minutes depending on the size of the cookie. My Note: To keep them from getting crisp take the cookies out of the oven when the edges have just begun to color slightly. Around 10 minutes.
Remove cookies to a rack to cool completely.
{ 10 comments… read them below or add one }
23 year old cookie cutters??? Wow, that’s precious! These are so cute, I really love the Santa one! 😀
Those are adorable! Almost as cute as the story of you picking the best ones for Santa. 🙂
Adorable! What a sweet story! I’m sure that Santa apperciates your efforts;)
Awesome story! I bet Santa was indeed happy to make a stop by your house!
Cheers,
Nick
http://www.macheesmo.com
that santa is the cutest. you just inspired me to bake more cookies. yay!
Those remind me so much of the ones I used to make with my mum! And my favorite cutter was my grandma’s, so I totally believe in ‘antique’ cutters! K x
Your cookies are beautiful. I love the antique cookie-cutter look. Thanks for the recipe.
Erin, Great looking cookies!! I will take two 🙂
Holy Crap! Those are the same cookie cutters my mom and I have used until we recently decided to stop making sugar cookies…I had no idea they were that old…though they’ve been around as long as I can remember. Any idea who made them or where our families might have gotten them?