Making Christmas Cookies with Kids!

About three years ago my husband and I started a tradition of having my nephews come over to our house to make Christmas Cookies.  We have kept that tradition alive again this year!  We make a really big deal out of it. Chase is 7 and Nick is 4 so they are very excited to come to "Auntie Ra and Uncle Mike's" house to make cookies, eat cookies and chocolate milk, watch Christmas movies and then the finale'...they get to sleep over at our house!  Yes!  We are crazy!  My mom and sister n' law come over to help. So we have a total of 4 adults and 5 kids running around, singing, dancing and making cookies! 

We have come up with two different Christmas Cookies that are very, very easy to do with all these kids.  Check out the recipes and try to make a Christmas tradition with the kids in your family!!!!



JOLLY SNOWMAN FACES 

* These cookies are so easy to make because you purchse a "pouch" sugar cookie mix.  This recipe calls for a Betty Crocker "pouch" because it is a Betty Crocker recipe, but FYI Aldi also carries sugar cookie "pouches".  Once the cookies have baked and cooled - you can have the kids help you frost the cookies or you can frost them first , then the kids can dig in and start making their snowman faces!

• 1 pouch Betty Crocker sugar cookie mix
• 1/2 cup butter, softened
• 1 egg
• 1 container (12 oz.) White Frosting
• Red String Licorice: for mouth and ear muff band
• Assorted M & M's for eyes
• Gummi Lifesavers for ear muffs
• Orange Slice candy cut into pieces for nose

1. Heat oven to 375 degrees.  In medium bowl, stir cookie mix, butter and egg until soft dough forms.  On ungreased cookie sheets, drop dough by rounded tablespoonfuls 2 inches apart.
2. Bake 11 - 14 minutes or until edges are light golden brown.  Cool 1 minute, remove from cookie sheets to cooking racks.  Cool completely, about 15 minutes.
3. Frost and decorate 1 cookie at a time.  After spreading frosting on cookie use candy to make a snowman face.

Recipe & Photo #1 Courtesy of Betty Crocker



HOLIDAY CINNAMON CRINKLE COOKIES 

* These cookies are my ultimate favorite Christmas cookies to eat and to make.  They are simple, fun and full of cinnamon and sugar!  I make the cookie dough ahead of time and put it in the fridge until the kids come to make them.  We take the dough out and let soften on counter for about 20 minutes.  They help me roll the balls and then roll the  balls in the red & green sugar....very fun!

• 1 1/2 cups sugar
• 1/2 cup butter, softened
• 1/2 cup shortening
• 2 eggs
• 2 3/4 cup flour
• 2 tsp. cream of tartar
• 1 tsp. baking soda
• 1 tsp. ground cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp. salt

1. Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees.  Mix sugar, butter, shortening and eggs in large bowl.
2. Mix in flour, cream of tartar, baking soda, cinnamon and salt.
3. Shape dough into 1 1 /4 inch balls.  Roll the balls in green and red sugar so that the entire ball is covered.
4. Bake 8 - 10 minutes on an un-greased cookie sheet.
5. Cool on sheet for 2 minutes. Remove and cool rest of time on cooling rack.