Name: Soft Christmas Cookies
Ingredients: 3 cups all-purpose flour: This is the primary structure of your cookies. A high-quality flour ensures a tender texture.; 1 tsp baking powder: This leavening agent helps the cookies rise, giving them a fluffy mouthfeel.; ½ tsp salt: Enhances the overall flavor and balances the sweetness of the sugar.; 1 cup white sugar: Provides sweetness and helps the cookies achieve a lovely golden color.; 1 cup softened margarine: This adds moisture and richness to the cookies. You can substitute with butter if desired for a different flavor profile.; 2 large eggs: Binds the ingredients together and adds to the richness of the cookies.; 2 tsp vanilla extract: Infuses a delicious, aromatic flavor that rounds out the sweetness.

Description

Bake soft and tender Christmas cookies that are perfect for sharing and celebrating the holiday season. Simple ingredients, festive fun.

Ingredients

Scale

3 cups all-purpose flour: This is the primary structure of your cookies. A high-quality flour ensures a tender texture.
1 tsp baking powder: This leavening agent helps the cookies rise, giving them a fluffy mouthfeel.
½ tsp salt: Enhances the overall flavor and balances the sweetness of the sugar.
1 cup white sugar: Provides sweetness and helps the cookies achieve a lovely golden color.
1 cup softened margarine: This adds moisture and richness to the cookies. You can substitute with butter if desired for a different flavor profile.
2 large eggs: Binds the ingredients together and adds to the richness of the cookies.
2 tsp vanilla extract: Infuses a delicious, aromatic flavor that rounds out the sweetness.

Instructions

Mix Dry Ingredients: In a large mixing bowl, sift together 3 cups of all-purpose flour, 1 tsp baking powder, and ½ tsp salt. This ensures even distribution of the leavening agent and salt.
Cream Sugar & Margarine: In another bowl, beat together 1 cup of white sugar and 1 cup of softened margarine until the mixture is creamy and light. This step can be done using a hand mixer or stand mixer for best results. Once creamy, add in 2 large eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Then, stir in 2 tsp of vanilla extract.
Combine Mixtures: Gradually blend the dry mixture into the wet ingredients, mixing until everything is well incorporated. Be careful not to over-mix.
Chill Dough: Wrap the cookie dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 2 hours. Chilling the dough helps to solidify the fat, which results in thicker, softer cookies.
Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C). Grease your cookie sheets or line them with parchment paper to prevent sticking.
Roll & Cut: Once chilled, take the dough out of the refrigerator. Roll it out on a lightly floured surface to a thickness of about ¼ inch. Use cookie cutters to cut out desired shapes.
Bake: Place the cookie shapes on the prepared cookie sheets and bake them in the preheated oven for 6-8 minutes or until the edges are lightly golden. Keeping an eye on them is essential to avoid over-baking.
Cool: Once baked, remove the cookies from the oven and let them cool on the sheet for a couple of minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.