(A Family Recipe Shared with Love)
There’s something about a cookie recipe that carries more than just sweetness. My mom has always made the best sugar cookies, and for years I wondered why mine never turned out quite the same. Mine were hard and dull, hers were soft and full of magic. When I told her that, she laughed and said, “That’s because my cutout cookies aren’t sugar cookies.”
That’s how this recipe came to me. We were talking about how Carson and I sneak in a little math while we cook and bake, and she pulled out her old recipe, one she’d cut from a newspaper decades ago and adjusted until it became hers. Now, it’s ours.
This is the kind of recipe that connects generations – a little tradition, a little math lesson, a whole lot of butter, and the best memories baked right in.
Mom’s Cutout Cookies (about 36 cookies)
Ingredients
- ¾ lb butter (3 sticks)
- 1 ½ cups granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoons vanilla (or more to taste)
- 3 eggs
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 2 tablespoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon corn starch
- 4 ½ cups sifted flour
Directions
- Cream together butter and sugar.
- Add vanilla and eggs, beating as you go.
- In a separate bowl, whisk baking soda and flour.
- Slowly add dry mixture to wet ingredients, mixing until combined.
- Chill dough for at least 1 hour (overnight is best).
- Roll out on a floured surface to about ⅛ inch thick.
- Cut into your favorite shapes.
- Bake at 350°F for 6-8 minutes on a greased cookie sheet.
- Cool completely before icing.
Mom’s Icing
Ingredients
- ½ cup butter
- 3 cups powdered sugar
- 2 tablespoons milk
- 1 ½ teaspoons vanilla
Directions
- Mix until smooth and creamy.
- Divide into smaller bowls if you want to add food coloring.
- Warm each color slightly in the microwave (15–20 seconds).
- Ice cookies for a glossy glaze that sets beautifully – perfect for stacking and gifting.
This is more than a recipe. It’s a memory you can bake, one sweet shape at a time.
Check back often to the Nourished Circle, to see what new recipe is tried. Push the picture to the right.