Holiday Sugar Cookies (a/k/a Fun with Instagram)

My friend Annie and I are marathon runners, so it's only right for us to have a marathon cookie making day, right?  Right.

Well, perhaps there is not a direct connection other than the more miles you run, the more cookies you get to eat, but we shared a wonderful Sunday afternoon into evening baking about 60 sugar cookies.  We even made homemade icing and used our "artistic" abilities to decorate the cookies.  And yes, the word artistic is used loosely...it's the taste that counts :)


Sugar Cookies
1 and 1/2 cup butter, softened
2 cups sugar
4 eggs
1 tsp vanilla flavoring
5 cups all purpose flour
2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt

In large mixing bowl, stir butter and sugar together until smooth.  Beat in eggs and vanilla flavoring.  Stir in flour, baking soda, and salt.  Cover the bowl and chill in the fridge for at least an hour.

Once the dough is set, roll into 1/2 inch sheets on a floured surface and cut with holiday themed cookie cutters.  Heat oven to 400.

Once the cookies are cut out, place on ungreased baking sheet and cook in the oven for 6-8 minutes.

Remove the cookies from the oven and let cool on paper towels.  Decorate the cookies with the homemade icing:

Homemade Icing
Okay - we didn't get creative here.  Mix together water and confectioners sugar until you develop a thick paste.  Add a few drops of food coloring.

Go to town with the decorating!  Chocolate chips, sprinkles...anything!  Go crazy with holiday spirit.