Making Christmas Cookies

Ask anyone what they love about Christmas and you can take any bet one of the most popular answers will be Christmas cookies. And why wouldn't they be? Cookies are delicious all year round but add a little festive fun and they're even better.

Christmas cookies have been a holiday tradition for years. in fact children in the United States have been leaving Christmas cookies and milk out for Santa Claus on Christmas Eve since the 1930s.

Why Do We Have Christmas Cookies?

The origins of Christmas cookies go back even further than that. Cookies have long been a part of Christmas tradition. This was originally because of the price of the ingredients needed to make them. Sugar was expensive and therefore a rare treat. Holidays such as Christmas and Easter where the only times people would buy the extravagant ingredients and therefore became synonymous with cakes and cookies and sweets.

Nowadays the ingredients needed to make Christmas cookies are much more accessible. Because of their popularity Christmas cookies are available at almost every supermarket on the run up to Christmas. You can buy every kind in every flavour but where is the fun in that? Sure, you may be guaranteed the taste but one of the best things about Christmas cookies is making them!

A Whole World of Flavours!

There are literally hundreds of Christmas cookie recipes. Different countries have different traditional recipes. German Christmas cookies for example use less sugar and more spices such as cinnamon and nutmeg. The most popular variety are sugar cookies, which are cut into various festive shapes including Christmas trees, holly leaves, presents and snowmen. The cookies are often used to decorate the Christmas tree, although it is unlikely the delicious biscuits will stay on the tree for long!

Here is a quick and simple recipe for Christmas Sugar Cookies.

Christmas Sugar Cookie Recipe:

• 1/2 sticks (3/4 cups) salted butter
• 2 cups of flour
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1 large egg
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1 tsp vanilla extract

Method:

• Preheat oven to gas mark 3 (160 degrees Celsius)
• Whisk the flour and salt together in a bowl then set aside
• In a second bowl whisk the butter and sugar, when smooth add the egg and vanilla extract and beat until well mixed.
• Add the flour and salt mixture and whisk gently until both mixtures are combined to create a dough
• Flatten the dough with your hands, wrap in cling film and refrigerate for one hour
• Remove dough from fridge
• Using a rolling pin, roll out dough onto a floured surface
• When dough is roughly ¼ inch thick use cookie cutters to cut into shapes and place on baking tray
• Cover with coloured sprinkles and bake for 15 minutes
• Allow cookies to cool before serving.

TIP: Cooking with your children is one of the most enjoyable parts of Christmas. Even the youngest children can join in the fun. Have them help mix the cookie mixture or let them choose which cookie cutters to use to make their favourite Christmas shapes.