Jolly Santa (or Snowman) Cookies

On Christmas Eve, Alyssa, Joshua, and I each chose a cookie recipe to make. This is the recipe Alyssa chose. She had so much fun decorating these--I loved seeing how imaginative she was. She turned some into elves (with dried banana slices for ears!), some into snowmen (with candy corn noses and marshmallow ear muffs), and some into Santas. As far as cookie flavor goes, these cookies are incredible! It's nice to make a sugar cookie that doesn't involve rolling out dough and cookie cutters--it makes for quicker baking so you can get to the decorating part faster. This cookie would be fabulous to make any time of the year--you can just frost them and leave them plain or sprinkle with some coconut if you want.

Jolly Santa Cookies

½ cup butter, softened
1 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon grated lemon peel
1 egg
2 tablespoons milk
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
Frosting of your choice (I used glace icing flavored with coconut extract)
Decorations of your choice: sprinkles, colored sugar, miniature marshmallows, red cinnamon candies, coconut, M&M’s, chocolate chips, currants, coconut, etc.

Heat oven to 400°F. Beat butter, granulated sugar and lemon peel in large bowl with electric mixer on medium speed, or mix with spoon. Stir in egg and milk. Stir in flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt.

Drop dough by rounded tablespoonfuls about 3 inches apart onto ungreased cookie sheet. Press bottom of drinking glass on each until about ¼ inch and 3 inches in diameter. Bake 8 to 10 minutes or until light golden brown. Immediately remove from cookie sheet to wire rack. Cool completely.

Spread frosting on cookie (frost and decorate each cookie before starting another.) Sprinkle red sugar over top third of cookie for hat. Press on miniature marshmallow for tassel. Press 2 currants for eyes and 1 cinnamon candy for nose into center third of cookie. Sprinkle coconut over bottom third for beard.

Recipe Source: Gold Medal Holiday Cookies & Candy