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Simple Sugar Cookie Recipe – Christmas Cookie Exchange

Today I am sharing with you Grandma’s simple sugar cookie recipe!

Christmas cookie exchange 2017 poster.

Hello friends! I am winding down the season with some sweet posts and today is all about holiday cookies… I am thrilled to join some wonderful friends to share our favorite cookie recipes and it is all apart of a Christmas Cookie Exchange! Welcome to those of you who are here from Tana at Your Marketing BFF! Tana is incredibly talented and I can’t wait to enjoy baking her recipe soon! Here today I am showing you how to make Simple Sugar Cookies that can be decorated as well…

Decorated Christmas tree with a plate of sugar cookies and milk in front of it.

I have been LOVING getting to recreate family recipes this season and today’s treat is no exception. If you have joined me here from some time, then you will know that we have dietary restrictions that require us to eat gluten and dairy free. Well on normal days that can feel tricky but it gets especially tricky during the holiday seasons (no eggs around here either, yikes)… With all that being said, I do hope that these posts give encouragement to any of you friends out there who may have to adapt to the needs of your loved ones. It is possible to still enjoy your “most memorable” cookies and things this time of year, it just takes a little creativity.

A jar full of candy canes and recipe cards in front of it.

Therefore, my great grandma’s recipe has been adjusted to be gluten and dairy free. Of course you can still make the original version of the cookie too!

A variety of cookie cutters on the counter.

When you are grabbing all the goodies, don’t forget to grab your favorite cookie cutters too! Looks like I am due for a new set soon, lol… These seem to have seen their last cookie session.

Here is what you will need to make these delicious classic cookies! My Great Grandma referred to them as “Everyday Cookies”…

All the ingredients for the simple sugar cookies laid out on the counter.

  • 1/2 cup dairy free butter (regular butter if you prefer the original)
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 2 tbsp. of flaxseed and 6 tbsp. of water mixed (or 2 well beaten eggs)
  • 1/4 cup almond milk (or dairy milk)
  • 3 cups of gluten free baking flour (or regular flour for the original version)
  • 3 tsp. baking powder
  • 1 1/2 tsp. salt
  • 1 tsp. vanila

Here is how you will bake up these yummy cookies…

A mixing bowl with the attachment half out with batter on it.

Set the oven to 350 degrees. Cream the butter and sugar together. Then add the flaxseed/water mixture and the milk. Slowly mix in the flour along with the baking powder and salt. Lastly add in the vanilla.

The cookie dough in a ball on the counter.

Split the dough into two portions and place the sugar cookie dough onto some cooking plastic wrap and wrap it up.

The dough in a ball wrapped in saran wrap on the counter.

Put the wrapped balls of dough into the freezer for about 15 minutes.

A rolling pin and the dough being rolled on the counter.

Flour your board generously and be prepared to continue using flour as needed so that the dough doesn’t stick to the board. Take the dough out and roll it thin.

A Christmas tree shape being cut out with a cookie cutter.

Begin to cut out your cookie shapes and move them to your cookie sheet.

A variety of shapes cut out and on a cookie sheet for baking.

Bake them in the oven for approximately 6-10 minutes, the longer you leave them in the crispier they will be. So just do it based on preference.

The baked cookies on a cooling rack after coming out of the oven.

Remove cookies from the oven and let them cool.

Spreading the cookies on the parchment paper before decorating them.

I like to spread mine out once they have cooled on parchment paper so that I can decorate them.

Piping white icing onto the cookies.

I kept these simple and just used plain white icing with sprinkles. I had some store bought icing on hand, but also made an easy powdered sugar/water mix for spreading. It dries nice and hard, plus you can color it with dyes however you like!

All the cookies decorated with piped white icing.

Here’s a sampling of how the first batch turned out. I threw the rest in the freezer to enjoy decorating with the kiddos one day after school or on break.

The sugar cookies, a glass of milk with a straw in it, and a candy cane on a small stool beside the tree.

Sugar cookies are one of my favorite cookies and activities to enjoy during the Christmas season.

The cookies on a white plate beside the Christmas tree.

What I love about this gluten/dairy free version is that you can whip them up easily and there is no egg, so really no fuss either!

Cookies, milk, on a stool in front of the fireplace in living room.

The kids thought they tasted pretty good too, I had to remind them to hold off on eating them all so that we could actually decorate them, haha.

Flocked Christmas tree with red and gold ornaments and a stool with treats on it.

Thanks so much for stopping by today and don’t forget to visit my sweet friend Randi at Randi Garrett Design… Just look at these amazing cookie treats!

White flocked tree, and gingerbread cookies beside the tree.

And here are the rest of the lovely ladies who are sharing their delicious cookies as well… They are listed here below so you can go enjoy their gorgeous posts!

Christmas treat blogger poster.
 

Christmas cookie exchange blogger poster.

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5 Comments

  1. Annie these look fabulous! Thank you so much for sharing your recipe and joining in the tour! Wishing you a Merry Christmas with your sweet family! Xo

  2. Your old Christmas recipe cards (dark, old-school typewritten) are fabulous! (I have a few of those myself, haha). You can never go wrong with a simple sugar cookie recipe and I’m sure these taste wonderful… and your styling is INCREDIBLE as always. Merry Christmas friend! It’s been fun doing this tour with ya. xo

  3. So Yummy! I’m going to try with the kids! And if you’re really serious about the cookie cutters retiring at your house….We’ll take them! Bring them to Christmas and they can have a second life at our home. I only have bells! 🙂 You’re so talented, I’m proud of you! Love you and see you soon!

  4. Your cookies are so beautiful with the simple white frosting. And how sweet that your recipe originated with your great grandmother. I love them in your beautiful home. Merry Christmas sweet friend!

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