Holiday Cookies

One of our family to traditions is to decorate sugar cookies each year around Christmas. We generally always try to invite another one or two families to come and do it with us. This year we had Todd's sister's family over to join in the fun. I've tried a LOT of sugar cookie recipes over the years searching for one that I really like. Today I tried a recipe that I got from my sister-in-law and I really loved it. I like my sugar cookies thick and super soft, and that is exactly how these turned out.

SOFT SUGAR COOKIES:
1 cup butter
1 1/2 cups sugar
2 eggs
4 1/2 cups sifted flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. salt
1 cup sour cream
1 tsp. vanilla

Cream butter and sugar. Add eggs and beat. Add remaining ingredients and mix together. Refrigerate dough for at least 2 hours. Roll out to 1/4" thick and cut into shapes. Bake at 375 degrees for 8-10 minutes.

FROSTING:
6 Tbsp. butter
1 lb. (4 cups sifted) powdered sugar
1/4 cup milk
1 tsp. vanilla

If you're daring, you can try doing some of your sugar cookies the way Todd's family has his whole life - you brush the tops of the dough with milk and then sprinkle with any flavor jell-o powder before baking. It gives you all kinds of great flavors and isn't quite and sugar-sweet at going the route of tons of frosting and sprinkles, etc. We like both kinds in our house.