Clockwise left to right: Two-Tone Twisters, Slice and Bake Angels, Circus Spirals, Holiday Cutouts, Snowball Cookies, Caramel Pecan Cookie Bars, Stained Glass Christmas Trees
Photography by Michael Kohn
Basic recipe: Sugar Cookie Dough
3/4 cup (175 mL) butter, softened
1 cup (250 mL) granulated sugar
1 egg
2 tsp (10 mL) vanilla
1/4 tsp (1 mL) almond extract or peppermint extract, (optional)
2-1/2 cups (625 mL) all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp (2 mL) baking powder
Preparation:
In bowl, beat butter with sugar until light and fluffy; beat in egg and vanilla. If making Slice and Bake Angels, add almond extract; if making Two-Tone Twisters, add peppermint extract.
Stir flour with baking powder. Stir into butter mixture in 2 additions.
Divide dough in half; flatten into discs. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour or until chilled, (Make ahead: Refirigerate dough for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 3 weeks.)
Cookies and squares made with Sugar Cookie Dough above:
Two-Tone Twister Cookies
Candy cane-striped peppermint cookies in a variety of shapes add fun and flair to the platter.
Slice and Bake Angels
Sweet and festive — that's all anyone could ask of a Christmas angel. But when they are delicious, too, you'll have a hard time trying to save them for the tree.
Circus Spirals
Crunchy and colourful, these swirls make a pretty addition to the cookie platter.
Holiday Cutouts
Gather the kids — young and old — to bake up some treats. Encourage imaginations to run wild with the shapes and decorations, then sit back and watch all the creativity.
Snowball Cookies
These white cookies are truly pop-in-your-mouth delicious. If you like, roll them in more icing sugar for a thicker coat.
Caramel Pecan Cookie Bars
With a crunchy top and too-good-to-be-true shortbread base, these buttery bars are guaranteed to become a part of your traditional Christmas repertoire.
Stained Glass Christmas Tree Cookies
With the glorious colours of stained-glass windows, these cookies look beautiful when hung with ribbon as decorations.
