Cookie Day!

Aren't these the cutest cookies you have ever seen?  I decided to try making these after seeing the recipe on BHG e mail.  They weren't all that difficult, and not only are they cute, but they actually taste good.
This was a new recipe for me, so I was a bit nervous but they were actually quite successful and I think the grandchildren will really love them.

I want to share this simple recipe here:

Ingredients

• 1
  cup butter, softened
• 1/2
  cup sugar
• 1
  tablespoon milk
• 1
  teaspoon vanilla
• 2 1/4
  cups all-purpose flour
• Green paste food coloring
• 1
  recipe Powdered Sugar Icing
• Decorative candies 
   
  Directions

  1. In a large bowl beat butter with an electric mixer on medium to high speed for 30 seconds. Add sugar. Beat until combined, scraping sides of bowl occasionally. Beat in milk and vanilla until combined. Beat in as much of the flour as you can with the mixer. Using a wooden spoon, stir in any remaining flour. Remove 1/2 cup of the dough. Tint the remaining dough with green food coloring.

  2. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. For each cookie, use the green dough to shape ten 1/2-inch balls. On an ungreased cookie sheet, arrange balls in a row of four, topped by a row of three, then two, then one on top. As you arrange the balls, gently press them into each other. Use the plain dough to make a 3/4-inch ball and place it at the bottom of the tree for a trunk. Repeat with the remaining dough, leaving 2 inches between cookies on cookie sheet.

  3. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes or until edges are light brown. Cool on cookie sheet for 2 minutes. Carefully transfer cookies to a wire rack; let cool.

  4. Drizzle Powdered Sugar Icing back and forth over cookies to look like strings for lights. Add decorative candies to icing for lights. Let stand until icing sets.

  Powdered Sugar Icing

  Ingredients

  • 4
    cups powdered sugar
  • 1
    teaspoon vanilla
  • 3 - 4
    tablespoons milk

  Directions

  In a medium bowl stir together powdered sugar, vanilla, and enough milk (3 to 4 tablespoons) to make an icing of drizzling consistency.

  
  

  In addition to the great little Christmas Tree Cookies, I also made the traditional Snickerdoodles which I make every year.  I also tried another new recipe for Chocolate Crinkle Cookies. which also turned out quite nicely.

  Tomorrow I would like to work on yet another new recipe for some espresso/chocolate bites.  They sound delicious and hopefully won't be too difficult.

  
  

  Have you started baking yet?  What are your favorite cookie recipes?

  
  

  Hope you will share them with me!

  
  

  Merry Christmas!