Simple Sugar Cookies with Colorful Icing

Simple Sugar Cookies with Colorful Icing

If Claire Montrose's nephew was given a vote, Eric would choose these cookies as his favorite. And if you're an author with a six year old AND trying to carve out some time to write, make these cookies together, mix up the icing, and then let them paint and decorate the finished cookies (with new small paintbrushes) to their heart's content. Guaranteed to buy you at least a half hour (which may be spent later cleaning up spills, but that's another matter).

Ingredients:

1 cup sugar
1 cup butter, softened
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 egg
2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
powdered sugar
milk
food coloring, colored sugar, sprinkles, etc. as desired

Preparation:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Beat sugar, butter, vanilla, and egg in large bowl until smooth. Gradually stir in flour.

Chill dough for half an hour. Roll out to 1/4 inch thick. Cut with cookie cutters. Bake 6-9 minutes or until edges are just golden brown. Cool cookies on baking sheet 1 minute, then remove to wire rack. Cool. For each color of “paint”, mix 1/2 cup powered sugar with just enough milk (less than one tablespoon) to reach desired consistency. Add choice of food coloring. Let child or children decorate as described above.