For a little gift, I love giving Christmas cookies. I believe it is the best gift to give, as I am making them with love and care. So this holiday season, I made my bookers at Next a batch of Martha Stewart’s soft and chewy chocolate chip cookies and some soft, airy cut-out sugar cookies with a simple tinted glaze. I had previously gotten hints that chewy chocolate chip cookies were a major request, and this recipe was just perfect. They were a hit! It was amazing to see such hardworking people relaxing for a moment to enjoy a simple cookie! I followed Martha's recipe exactly:  Chocolate Chip Cookies

For the sugar cookies, I wanted them to be like the really fake, factory kind. Fluffy, tender, melt-in-your-mouth, buttery, sugary goodness! I think I discovered just the recipe! The only slight disappointment was that, as these had to be packed for gift giving, I could not frost them with a rich butter cream. Instead I did various colors of glazes and festive sprinkles. I have to say they did look pretty cute. The day before I went to the most amazing kitchen goods shop on 8^th street and Mercer. There I bought a candy cane, man, star, and Christmas tree cookie cutter and some gel food coloring. I could spend hours in that store! The walls are just lined floor-to-ceiling with everything a cook could ever want. 

Super Soft Sugar Cookies with Glaze

Mix:
1 cup butter
1 cup sugar
Add:
3 beaten eggs
1 tbsp. vanilla
Sift and mix with sugar mixture:
3 cups flour
2 tsp. cream of tartar
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. ground cinnamon

Chill the dough in some plastic wrap for an hour. Roll dough on lightly floured surface and cut with a simple cookie cutter. I cut these cookies thick, about 1/2 inch. Bake @ 425 for about 10 minutes or until lightly golden.

For the glaze:

1 c powdered sugar

1 tsp. vanilla extract

1-4 tbsp. milk

paste food coloring

In a medium bowl, dump in the powdered sugar and add, a tablespoon at a time, the milk until the glaze forms. It should coat the back of the spoon. Stir in the vanilla and color as desired in smaller separate bowls. Dunk the cooled cookies face down in the glaze and immediately add the sprinkles. They will be ready to pack/eat in at least 30 minutes!