On the 4th day of Baking...

Day 4 -
I'm not sure how or why it is so much fun to make cookies with cookie cutters and then decorate them, but it really is. It makes me feel a tad juvenille, but I really don't care as I grin from ear to ear and make an absolute mess. It is divine. My only minor complaint was that I made them alone, I really should have waited for Brad to join me as I'm sure he would have enjoyed it too! Oh well, 8 more days of chances for that! (Plus he has some he has requested to join in on.) =)

Alton Brown's Sugar Cookies

3 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup unsalted butter, softened
1 cup sugar
1 egg, beaten
1 tablespoon milk
Powdered sugar, for rolling out dough

• Sift together flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
• Place butter and sugar in large bowl of electric stand mixer and beat until light in color.
• Add egg and milk and beat to combine. Put mixer on low speed, gradually add flour, and beat until mixture pulls away from the side of the bowl. Divide the dough in half, wrap in waxed paper, and refrigerate for 2 hours.
• Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
• Sprinkle surface where you will roll out dough with powdered sugar. Remove 1 wrapped pack of dough from refrigerator at a time, sprinkle rolling pin with powdered sugar, and roll out dough to 1/4-inch thick. Move the dough around and check underneath frequently to make sure it is not sticking. If dough has warmed during rolling, place cold cookie sheet on top for 10 minutes to chill.
• Cut into desired shape, place at least 1-inch apart on greased baking sheet, parchment, or silicone baking mat.
• Bake for 7 to 9 minutes or until cookies are just beginning to turn brown around the edges, rotating cookie sheet halfway through baking time.
• Let sit on baking sheet for 2 minutes after removal from oven and then move to complete cooling on wire rack.

Notes of Interest:
--- Since I didn't have a whole lot of time, I actually didn't make the frosting myself (I know, it should be a sin), but I found the greatest frosting in a little container that worked fine. It also sets SUPER fast, which was good for stacking the cookies for storage, but it was so fast I thought I could ice them all and then come back and add sprinkle them - I was sorely mistaken. I learned my lesson fairly quickly though and was able to fix the rest.