TODAY Food Club

This recipe is an old family recipe handed down to me from my Godmother who made these for all our family get togethers. I have been making them since she passed away 40 years ago. They have sour cream and nutmeg in the dough, and the frosting has fresh orange juice and rind. The combination of flavors is awesome! Family tradition for over 60 years, every single Christmas. Everyone loves them.

Auntie Anna's Christmas Cookies

Ingredients

• Cookie Dough: 4 cups all purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• ½ teaspoon baking soda
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
• 1 ½ cups granulated sugar
• 1 egg
• ½ cup sour cream
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• Frosting: 12 Tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
• 1 lb. confectionery sugar, sifted
• Zest of 1 orange
• Juice from 1 orange

Preparation

1. Make the cookie dough. Sift the flour with the baking powder, baking soda, salt, and nutmeg. Set aside.
2. With an electric or stand up mixer, beat the butter, sugar and egg at low speed until light and fluffy. Beat in the sour cream and vanilla until smooth. Gradually add the flour mixture beating until well combined. With a rubber spatula form the dough into a ball.Wrap in plastic wrap or waxed paper and refrigerate for at least one hour.
3. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
4. Divide the dough in 4 parts. Keep each part refrigerated until ready to roll it out. Lightly grease baking sheets or use parchment paper or silicon baking mats. On a well floured surface roll out the dough, one part at a time, to ¼ inch thick. With well floured cookie cutters. Place 2-3 inches apart on cookie sheets. Bake 10-12 minutes until golden. Remove to a wire rack to cool.
5. Make the frosting. Cream butter with an electric mixer. Add the confectionery sugar, orange zest and enough orange juice to frosting consistency. Frost the cookies and decorate with your favorite sprinkles, chopped nuts, etc.

Recipe Tags

• Christmas
• American
• Dessert