Traditional Christmas Cookies

I have baked these cookies many times over the years with my family. It’s a Christmas tradition! These cookies have a taste of anise with a sugary frosting. They have a soft inside when they come out of the oven and once the frosting is put on, it tastes like Christmas. I would say the best part about making these cookies is getting together with family and frosting them while we listen to Christmas music in the background!

Materials: 

• Stand mixer or hand mixer (can be done with a spatula but this can be very tiring)

• Spatula

• Two bowls

• Plastic wrap

• Parchment paper

• Cookie Cutters

• Cooling Rack

• Butter Knives

• Rolling pin 

Ingredients:

• 1 cup unsalted butter, softened

• 2 egg yolks

• 3 cups all-purpose flour (plus more for rolling)

• 1 cup granulated sugar

• 6 tablespoons of milk 

• 3 teaspoons baking powder

• ¼ teaspoon salt

• 1 teaspoon anise extract or oil

•  1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Frosting:

• ½ cup unsalted butter, softened

• 4 cups powdered sugar

• 6-8 tablespoons of milk

•  1 teaspoon vanilla extract

• ¼ teaspoon anise extract or oil (optional)

• Assorted sprinkles

• Food coloring (optional)

Instructions:

1. In a stand mixer, mix butter and sugar until light and fluffy (around 3 minutes). Add anise, egg yolks, and milk, beating to combine. In a separate bowl, sift baking powder and salt into flour, then add to wet ingredients, mixing until incorporated. The dough will be thick and sticky.

2. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1 hour, or up to 1 day on a cooling rack.

3. When ready to bake, preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line baking sheets with parchment paper.

4. Flour your work area moderately, including your hands and rolling pin. Take half of the dough and dust with flour, knead into a ball, then roll it out to about ¼ inch thick, dusting the dough and work area as needed with flour. (Make sure dough doesn't stick to the rolling pin, hands, or work area.)

5. Cut the dough with cookie cutters. Place the cookies on your parchment paper.

6. Bake for 7-10 minutes, until the edges are just barely golden.

7. Remove the cookies from the oven and cool on pans for about 3-4 minutes.

Frosting:

1. Combine your frosting ingredients (food coloring optional) in a small bowl and beat until a fluffy buttercream consistency is reached, adding sugar as necessary to thicken or thin the frosting.

2.  Carefully spread frosting on each cookie and decorate with sprinkles as desired.

3. Let the frosting set on the cookie on top of the cooling rack, to make sure the frosting is fully set before packaging or storing.

         Enjoy!