Cut Out Cookies (with just 7 ingredients)

**Don't forget to Pin for future use!**

Updated pictures and recipe, 

but entry from April of 2014 remains the same. 

Yay for spring!  And for Easter right around the corner.

Just in time, I wanted to share the easiest recipe for cut out cookie dough that I've ever seen and I love that the number of ingredients are minimal and household staples and, of course, they always turn out…delicious!

Along with the change of seasons comes a change of schedule and routine around this Bailey household.

Trying to figure out the best times to feed the family and how to have it ready when they are hungry is the latest challenge around here, which has made it nearly impossible for me to blog about any meals from the last week.

So, before I get to the super simple cookie recipe, I'll share with you what we ate last week, since I was completely MIA, floundering in the chaos of the new schedule.

Sunday - Grilled venison and veggie kabobs
Monday - Throwback to Classic Chicken and Dumplings (Alayna's request)
Tuesday - Home made pizzas (Landon's request) with a Gluten free crust for Jerry and me
Wednesday - Hamburgers on the grill for the guys, while I met up with the girls for a bite to eat
Thursday - Grilled chicken tenders on a bed of romaine

Friday - Broiled Lamb Chops (Ryker's request) with roasted potatoes
Saturday - Chicken with cherry wine sauce from Iowa Girl Eats

With spring break ahead of us, we should have a little more time for meal preparation, but we also have a 10th birthday party for Alayna at Helium Trampoline Park and an overnight at my brother's horse farm, Sublime Saddlebreds, so I'm sure the week will go fast!

Before we could launch into spring break, there were some treats needed for school, including these cookies to wrap up Landon's week of being STAR Student and some birthday treats for Alayna.

Now onto the cookies that Landon requested.

Blend 1 cup of sugar into 3/4 cup of softened butter until creamy.

Then add 2 eggs and 1/2 tsp of vanilla and beat well.

For simplicity purposes, I added the dry ingredient directly to the wet ingredients.

2 1/2 cups flour, 1 tsp baking powder and 1/2 tsp salt  

Mixed the dough on medium until everything was well blended.

Mold into one large dough ball and refrigerate for an hour or so, 

until the butter in the dough starts to harden again.  

Makes for the best texture for rolling, cutting and baking.

Roll out the dough on a lightly floured surface, cut out the cookies of desired shape, 

fitting as many cookies as possible onto the dough.

Bake at 400 F for 6-8 minutes, 

I generally error on the side of less time for chewier cookies.

Once cooled, frost with icing of choice and sprinkle immediately.

Slacker alert…

I bought this icing at U-bake this week, as I knew time would be tight.  

Don't tell my mom!

Luckily, since I work at Landon's school now, 

I was able to meet the qualifications for a taste of my own masterpieces. 

 And they were yummy, (which should go without saying)!

RECIPE:

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Fridge Time: 1 hour, minimum

Makes: Depends on the size of the cookie, only about 1 dozen eggs, but closer to 2 dozen hearts. 

Ingredients:

1 cup of sugar

3/4 cup of softened butter

2 eggs

1/2 tsp vanilla extract

2 1/2 cups flour

1 tsp baking powder 

1/2 tsp salt 

Directions:

• Cream together sugar and butter. 
• Fold in eggs and vanilla until smooth. 
• Measure out the flour, baking powder and salt. 
• Combine all ingredient well and refrigerate until firm, minimum of 1 hour. 
• Roll the chilled dough out on floured surface to desired thickness. 
• Cut out cookies and bake at 400 F for 6-8 minutes. 
• Frost and decorate.