Treat yourself to this food holiday favorite with these three recipes from the eSmart Tax Recipe Collection.

Classic Sugar Cookies Kissed With Blue

INGREDIENTS

1 1/2 cups butter, softened

2 cups white sugar

4 eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

5 cups all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon salt

Blue Sprinkles

DIRECTIONS

  1. In a large bowl, cream together butter and sugar until smooth. Beat in eggs and vanilla. Stir in the flour, baking powder, and salt. Cover, and chill dough for at least one hour (or overnight).
  2. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Roll out dough on floured surface 1/4 to 1/2 inch thick. Cut into shapes with any cookie cutter. Place cookies 1 inch apart on ungreased cookie sheets.
  3. Bake 6 to 8 minutes in preheated oven. Remove the cookies from the oven and immediately spread blue sprinkles on top. Cool completely before eating.

 

Gluten-Free Sugar Cookies

INGREDIENTS

1 cup of sugar

½ cup of butter, softened

1 large egg

1 tablespoon water or milk

1½ teaspoons vanilla

¼ teaspoon salt

¼ teaspoon of cinnamon (optional)

½ teaspoon of xantham gum (omit if your all purpose flour has it)

2 cups of gluten free all-purpose flour (I’ve used Better Batter, King Arthur Flour or Cup4Cup)+ more for rolling/dusting)

DIRECTIONS:

  1. In a large bowl, cream butter & sugar at medium speed.
  2. Add egg, water or milk, vanilla, salt, and cinnamon (optional). Blend until mixed well.
  3. Add xantham gum and flour. Mix at a low speed until well combined.
  4. Cover and refrigerate for at least one hour.
  5. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
  6. Roll out dough onto a lightly floured surface, about ¼” thick.
  7. Cut out with selected cookie cutters and place on baking sheet. Make sure cookies are not touching.
  8. Reform and roll out scrap dough, then continue cutting more cookies.
  9. Bake 10-12 minutes. Remove from oven and let cookies cool five minutes on cookie sheet before removing onto a cooling rack. Cool completely before decorating.
  10. Store in an airtight container for up to 5 days.

Clean Eating Sugar Cookies

INGREDIENTS

1/4 cup Butter, softened

1/4 cup + 2 tbs   Baking stevia OR 3/4 cup sweetener of choice that measures like sugar 1

1              Whole egg

1/2 tsp  Vanilla extract

1/2 tsp  Almond extract (or an additional 1/2 tsp vanilla extract)

1 cup     All purpose flour (or whole wheat pastry flour)

1/4 tsp  Baking powder

1/8 tsp  Salt

DIRECTIONS

  1. In a medium bowl, cream together butter, and sugar substitute with a mixer until fluffy. Add egg, and extracts and beat until combined. In a small bowl, combine flour, salt, and baking powder. Gradually add dry ingredients to wet, until just combined. (Don’t over work dough or it will get tough). Wrap dough and place it back in the fridge to chill for about 30 minutes, or until dough is cold.
  2.  When ready to cut cookies out, preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper, (or foil and spray with cooking spray). Roll the dough out on a lightly floured surface and cut out shapes with cookie cutters. Place on baking sheet and bake for 8 minutes.