Katie's Cut Out Cookies

My friend Katie makes these cookies which I love when she makes... of course isn't everything better when someone else puts in all the effort.  I didn't make this forever because I just wanted to eat hers but we needed some cut out cookies so I decided that I would make her recipe.  My family has declared it a new favorite recipe required for every special event and just sometimes when we are stuck in the house.

My son helped me make them the last few times so these pictures when I made them without a helper.  Of course whenever I pull out the ingredients, he comes running to help.

I put the butter and sugar in the bowl to cream together.

 I mixed until it was nice and creamy.

 I added the eggs and the vanilla.

I measured the dry ingredients to get them ready to add to the mixture.

I added all of the dry ingredients and mixed until combined.

The dough comes together easily and then you scrape down the sides and put it in the fridge overnight or at least until it is really cooled and ready to be rolled out.

We floured the surface and rolled out the cookies but I don't have an pictures of this for any of the times that I have made them.  Last time we made Virginia, candy cane, gingerbread men, and hearts.  My son picked the shapes so he was excited to cut them out and bake them.

This time, we decided to go with an Easter theme so we had two different bunnies, two different flowers, a butterfly, and ice cream cone. Super glad to have lots of spring sprinkles in the cupboard. 

We love to decorate upfront before baking so that they don't have to be decorated when they come out.  Although my husband likes his plain without any sprinkles so if he doesn't finish all his then we put frosting on them.  As always, these cookies are a home run. Everyone had lots of cookies and I hope that you try these for your own family.  Everyone I know who tried them thinks that they are a home run!

Katie's Cut Out Sugar Cookies

Dough

1 cup butter

1 cup sugar

2 eggs

1tsp vanilla extract (although she adds more)

3 cups flour

1/2 tsp baking soda

1 tsp baking powder

1 tsp salt

Cream together butter and sugar.  Add eggs and vanilla, beating well.  Add dry ingredients.  Cool in fridge before rolling out (I usually do this over night).  Roll out, cut into desired shapes, then cook at 350 for about 8 minutes.  Cool before frosting

Frosting

1/3 cup butter (must be room temperature!)

3 cups powdered sugar

1 1/2 tsp Vanilla extract

at least 2 tbsp  heavy whipping cream

Blend butter (again, make sure its room temperature) and powdered sugar.  Add vanilla.  Add whipping cream and then keep adding little bits at a time while mixing until desired consistency.