Four Nights A Week

My Dad, like most dads in the 1950s and 1960s, was not the chief cook in the family. After he retired, I think he did a bit of cooking and maybe even some baking. This recipe card is labeled “Bud Likes These”, so it may have been something Dad – always called Bud, never by his given name – found.

Whatever the origin, these were the cutout cookies that Dad thought highly of, and it’s easy to see why. There’s plenty of butter and sugar!

Because of egg allergies in the family, I steer clear of royal icings, so these cookies were simply decorated with chocolate sprinkles, but as the baking spirit moves you, you should feel free to go wild.

Cut Out Cookies (Bud Likes These)

From Sarah Puglisi’s Recipe Collection, source unknown

Ingredients:

• 1-1/2 cups sifted confectioners sugar
• 1 cup margarine (I used unsalted butter)
• 1 egg
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1/2 tsp almond extract
• 2-1/2 cups all purpose flour
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp cream of tartar

Method:

1. Cream together the confection’s sugar and butter/margarine.
2. Mix in the egg, vanilla, and almond extracts.
3. Stir together the flour, baking soda, and cream of tartar. Add to the butter/egg mixture and blend.
4. REFRIGERATE at least 2-3 hours.
5. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
6. Lightly flour work surface and rolling pin. I rolled the thickness of about 1/4 inch or a little less. Use cutters to cut out desired shapes.
7. Place cookies on lightly greased cookie sheet and bake until delicately golden (my time was between 8 and 10 minutes). Let settle on the sheet for a few minutes before moving to a cooling rack.
8. The dough will re-roll easily. Makes a nice crisp cookie.