Cookie Day

I've said it before, I like traditions. For Christmas as a child, our house was filled with decorations, a beautiful tree, a ton of wrapped presents, and lots of cut-out cookies.

One year with lots and lots of cookies! When I was in 7th grade, I wanted to make the cut out cookies for Christmas by myself. I had helped numerous times and mom left me in the kitchen on my own. The recipe card said in parenthesis DOUBLE RECIPE. I thought that meant to double the recipe. Oh no, the recipe had already been doubled! I had flour all over me and all over the kitchen! Mom laughed and laughed. I don't think there has ever been a time since then when I make these cookies that I don't think about that.

For me, cookie decorating is a special time with family. It was almost a day long event growing up. Mom rolling out the dough and we kids would do the cutting-out. After they were cooked and cooled, all five of us sat around the table with cookies, homemade icing, sprinkles and colored sugar crystals. We decorated until we couldn't decorate anymore!

This past Saturday was very reminiscent of that scene for me. It was a great family day and everyone (except Witt, of course) got into the cookie decorating day. We made about 75 cut-out cookies and decorated all but a dozen because we ran out of icing... too many fingers taste testing, I think! :)

Will wanted to try out the rolling pin. I gave him some dough and started flattening it and he finished it out. Good job, buddy!


Nathan had the cut-out upside-down so he was just making pretty marks in the dough.


I was teaching Will to start by placing the cut-out in on the edge to get the most use out of the dough. He's going to be a great cookie maker!


I saw this one coming... He has to do what big brother does. As soon as Will took a little break, Nathan climbed up in his seat and took control of the roller. I gave him a very small piece of dough and he flattened that sucker!




This was Nathan's one and only decorated cookie. He spent his time sampling the sprinkles!



Will really enjoyed decorating. He spent most of the day at the table with me. He used lots of colors and lots of sprinkles. He taste-tested, too, along the way... note the coloring around his lips!


Here are some of our completed cookies. Yes, I made the heart up at the top with"Jeff" on it - aren't I sweet?!