Weather: 28 degrees, occasional snowfall
What I’m listening to: Winter Snow, Audrey Assad and Chris Tomlin

I want my kids to remember making homemade Christmas Sugar Cookies, frosting them, and decorating them as a part of our family tradition. It’s especially important to me, while the kids are home on break and life slows down a bit, to get them in the kitchen and get those brilliant little sugar-sweetened creative minds working and learning and building unforgettable memories.

Earlier in the season, I gave you my standard and very reliable sugar cookie recipe, which I made again yesterday and was still awed by the joy of working with that dough. Food memories made better by stress-free (and very tasty) cookie dough. Here’s the perfect, fluffy frosting to go with it. Your cookies will thank you. And so will your kids. And so will Santa.

Sugar Cookie Frosting

Adapted from Food.com

1/2c butter, very slightly softened
4c powdered sugar, sifted
1t vanilla (or almond, or half of each, your preference)
1/4c half and half (can use milk or cream)
food coloring, optional
sprinkles, optional

Cream butter in the bowl of a stand mixer. Gradually add sifted sugar and vanilla. Add cream gradually until desired consistency is achieved. Beat until fluffy and smooth. (Add food coloring here, if using).

Spread onto cooled cookies or scoop into a piping bag and pipe onto cookies. (Add sprinkles here, if using).