Hey Y'all and Happy Monday! Are you off this week enjoying your holidays to the fullest? Hub is still working, but he's off next week! I can't wait to spend some quality time with him. I'm still teaching Zumba, but he won't miss me too much for an hour or two :)
This Christmas season is a little different for us. It's our last year where it's just the two of us. The last year we get to have our gifts be for us and can sleep in late and make big unhealthy breakfasts and watch bad movies together. Don't get me wrong, all I am looking forward to is spoiling the crap out of this little girl. And I'd rather have healthy well-balanced breakfasts the rest of my life instead of sausage and gravy biscuits with a side of bacon and cinnamon rolls if it meant I had my daughter with me. But this year we don't, so this year we're really going to enjoy our last year of it just being "us".
One of the things I've been taking full advantage of is baking. I know next year (and probably every year after that) this time of year will be crazy and I'll have a little wobbly booty to worry about. So I'm grabbing the opportunity to bake like a fool while I still can. I recently shared one of my favorite cookie recipes, and I'm back again to share another. Today are these delicious Christmas Sugar Cookies!
These cookies are so chewy and bursting with flavor. My secret? Almond extract! Ok, so its not that big of a secret, but it definitely puts these cookies over the top! Best part about these cookies? There is zero chill time. So fast!
I think Santa will be so excited to see these waiting for him in just a few nights! Ahhh I love this time of year so much. Everything is so red and green and holly and jolly! Awesome!
Ingredients:
2 3/4 Cup flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp baking powder
1 Cup butter, room temperature
1 1/2 Cups sugar
1 egg, room temperature
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 tsp almond extract (I just did a quick pour)
Red and Green sprinkles
Directions:
Preheat the oven to 375F. Line your baking sheets with a silpat or parchment paper. Get your cooling racks out. Combine the red and green sprinkles in a small bowl. Set aside.
In another small bowl, sift together the flour, baking soda and baking powder.
In your mixer cream together the butter and sugar using the beater attachment on medium speed until smooth. Add in the egg and vanilla and almond extract.
Turn the speed down to low and gradually add in the dry ingredients.
Roll into tablespoon size balls and roll the ball in the sprinkles. Place on the baking sheet about an inch apart and bake for 8 minutes.
Be sure to take them out at 8 minutes and allow them to cool on the baking sheet for a few minutes before transferring to the cooling racks.
Grab a huge glass of milk (or hot chocolate) and try not to eat all 4 dozen in one sitting :)
So what are you looking forward to the most this season? I can't wait for tons of time with all of my family, amazing food, cuddle time on the couch with Hub, and most of all praising God and thanking Him for the ultimate sacrifice he made by giving us the gift of his only son all those years ago.
Thanks for stopping by and Merry Christmas!
