Are you ready for the yummiest Halloween cookies ever?

These sugar cookies are always a family favorite.  I make them for just about every occasion.  (No, not the pumpkin shape for every occasion!)  I have quite a collection of cookie cutters.

***Side Story***
 I think my favorite cookie cutters are the sea animals I bought from William Sonoma.  I bought them specifically for our Seaside trip. I have made sea animal sugar cookies every year, just before our trip.  Well, two years ago, not all of the cookies were eaten.  There we were, on the last day, and I was forcing Uncle Chris to finish off the cookies so I wouldn’t have my feelings hurt.  So, last year, I decided not to bring my sugar cookies.  WOW!  You would have thought I had forgotten a major holiday!  I don’t think they’ll ever let me live that error down! 

Now, back to those cookies.  (Many of the following pictures were taken for St. Patrick’s Day.  Don’t worry.  It’s the same basic cookie recipe.  The pictures just have the shamrock cookie cutter in them.)

 Here’s the recipe:

2 Cups Flour
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
6 TBSP butter
1/3 Cup shortening
3/4 Cup sugar
1 egg
1 TBSP milk
1 tsp vanilla
Recipe from Better Homes and Gardens Cookies for Christmas

Beat butter and shortening until fluffy. Add egg, milk, and vanilla. Beat well. Add dry ingredients. Beat until well mixed. (I usually make a triple batch. They freeze well.)

The dough needs to be refrigerated for about 3 hours to make it easier to handle.

I like a thick sugar cookie. That way they are soft, rather than crispy. I roll them to 1/4 inch thick. Cut with cookie cutters. Bake at 375 for seven minutes.

I frost my cookies with a simple powdered sugar and milk frosting. I don’t ever use a recipe. I just pour in a little powdered sugar and a little milk until I get a consistency I like. The Wilton food coloring paste is the only way to go. You can buy it at Michael’s. It gives a much more vivid color than regular food coloring. Stir it up until the color is well blended.

I love to frost my cookies and then use a little sanding sugar from William Sonoma. Oh, they’re just so pretty. It’s a tradition my kids love and it makes the house smell great too.

If you’re linking up to Home and Family Friday, keep scrolling down.  If you’re just here for the cookies, then, Happy Baking!