CHRISTMAS COOKIES!!!

Ok christmas is just around the corner so here is the EASIEST recipe for yummy christmas cookies! This recipe makes quite allot as these cookies disappear very quickly! Its great for parties, if you are just making it for the family try and half the recipe. This is based on an old recipe book I have lying around by Sarah Maxwell, its originally for "the very young" but its a great base recipe to add on.

Christmas Cookies

100g caster sugar

100g brown sugar

200g Butter (softened at room temp be nice to your blender!)

2 eggs beaten

1/2 a vanilla pod (or a couple drops of vanilla essence)

500g plain all purpose flour (plus a little extra when rolling out.)

1/2 tsp of Cinnamon

Icing sugar for dusting

As with all baking start by preheating your oven (200 degrees Celsius and 400 fahrenheit) and measuring out your ingredients. Beat the sugar and butter in a bowl until light and fluffy. In a smaller bowl beat the eggs and vanilla. Add the egg and vanilla mixture slowly keep beating the mixture to maintain a smooth consistency. In another bowl sift the flour and add the cinnamon.

Stir the flour slowly into the egg and butter mixture to form a stiff dough. Leave the dough in the fridge for around 15 mins just to make it easier to roll out.

On a smooth working surface roll out your dough, use a little flour on the rolling pin and the surface itself to stop the dough from sticking. Roll out the dough until around 5mm think then using a christmasy cookie cutters (or if your feeling creative, use a knife and design one yourself!) to shape your cookies. Place on a well greased baking tray and cook for approx. 10 mins or until the edges turn a honey colour. These cookies are a bit hard to judge when it comes to cooking time, each oven is unique and these cookies are awfully thin!

Allow to cool a little then dust with a little icing sugar, or even dip in melted chocolate.

TOP TIP: If you want use a knife and CAREFULLY cut a small hole in the tip if your cookie before baking. When cooked loop a little ribbon through the hole, VOLIA a home made edible Christmas decoration to hang on your tree!

MERRY CHRISTMAS EVERYBODY!