A Perfect Holiday Cookie

Since I was a very little girl, I remember these cut-out cookies as part of our holiday traditions.



My mom would make dozens upon dozens of them at Christmastime, but she also made small batches for other holidays throughout the year. I didn't do much Christmas baking this past year (first trimester and all), but I've been a busy bee in the kitchen again lately!

These cookies go back at LEAST to my mom's mom. We believe they probably go further back than that. These are similar to sugar cookies, but a bit softer and with a little richer flavor, thanks to the sour cream. There are very few ingredients and there's nothing very difficult about them. But, oh, are they yummy... and so much fun to enjoy with the entire family!


Sour Cream Cookies

• 2 cups sugar
• 1 cup margarine (I follow the recipe and use margarine here, but I imagine butter would be fine too!)
  
• 3 eggs
• 1 cup sour cream
• 1 tsp. baking soda
• 1 tsp. vanilla
• approximately 6 cups flour (you'll use more during the rolling and cutting phase)
  

Mix all ingredients. Chill dough (it's best to chill for at least a few hours- otherwise it's pretty sticky).



Roll on floured surface to about 1/8-1/4 inch thickness. Cut out cookies and re-roll dough, as necessary.



Bake on ungreased cookie sheets in 350 degree oven for 5-10 minutes, depending on size of cookie. Makes about 10 dozen. (This is a BIG batch of cookies! I made a half-batch for our family of four and still had plenty to share at a family gathering.)

I like to put a clean towel on my kitchen table and cool the cookies there.



Once the cookies are completely cool, you can frost and decorate them! I make a very simple icing out of powdered sugar, a few drops of vanilla, and a splash of milk (sorry for the lack of measurements!) and I tinted half of it pink for these Valentine's Day cookies. Some red sugars and heart-shaped sprinkles finished off the decorating and gave the kids something to do as I frosted away.

The result?



Over five dozen truly delicious, completely homemade cookies. To buy that many frosted holiday cookies at the grocery store would have cost me close to $20. I'm not even kidding you. The cost of these? Less than three bucks. And these were better, if you ask me... I mean, c'mon... they're Grandma's cookies!

Grandma's Sour Cream Cookies... definitely a Finer Valentine's Thing in Life! For more Finer Valentine's Things, visit Amy's Finer Things Friday! Her special edition this week is the conclusion of our week-long Valentine's Exchange of Inspiration and Ideas.

For more ways to save some dough (get it? ;)), visit Frugal Friday at Biblical Womanhood!