Old Fashioned Butter Cookies with Vanilla Frosting

Last weekend I invited MomMom over for my annual cookie baking extravaganza. Every year I pick a day to bake dozens of Christmas cookies to pack up in tins to give out to neighbors and friends, and to keep in our cookie jar too of course. I usually don't keep sweets in the house, but at the holidays I love having a stocked cookie jar and little bowls of Andes mints and other goodies around the house for friends to enjoy when they visit.

For years now I've been making all of MomMom's old family cookie recipes at Christmastime, and I like to have her here with me when I do it because I'm a sucker for nostalgia and really enjoy being with her when I make them. I also get little insider tips from her as I go along, which I love.

I made several batches of our favorite Crunchy Chocolate Pecan Cookies, moon cookies (my personal favorite, filled with pecans and almonds and coated with powdered sugar), and old fashioned butter cookies. Everyone loves the butter cookies, but the traditional cookie is a little boring to me. Add frosting, and well, now we're talking.

I LOVE frosting covered butter cookies. 

If you need a last minute cookie idea for Christmas, give these a try. Just don't tell MomMom I gave you the recipe. ;)

Old Fashioned Butter Cookies w/ Vanilla Frosting

Ingredients
2 sticks butter, softened
1 cup sugar
1 egg
1 tsp. vanilla
2 1/2 cups flour
1/2 tsp. baking powder

Frosting
1 stick butter, softened
2 cups powdered sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
1 tsp. milk
Red or green food coloring
Sprinkles for decorating

Cream the butter, sugar, egg and vanilla together until creamy. Add flour and baking powder a little at a time, mixing as you add, until a dough forms.

Separate the dough into two balls; flatten them out slightly into discs and wrap in plastic wrap. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.

Preheat oven to 350. Roll chilled dough out on a floured surface to about 1/4 inch thick. Cut into cookies with either cookie cutters or a small round glass. Put on ungreased cookie sheet and bake 8-10 minutes. Cookies should just be slightly brown around the edges, but not brown all over. Immediately place on cooling racks until cool.

To make frosting
In a mixing bowl, cream together butter and powdered sugar. Gradually add the vanilla and milk, and keep mixing until the frosting turns smooth. Add food coloring and mix until fully combined.

Once cookies are cool, top with frosting and sprinkles. Let harden before packing into containers.