Similar cookies two of family favorites

 

Michelle Lewis of Hagerstown sent recipes for two of her family's favorite cookies.

Aunt Molly's Sour Cream Cookies is a recipe handed down by Lewis' Aunt Mary.

Lewis usually bakes about 10 kinds of cookies for the holidays. She has three sons, ages 7, 2 and 7 months. The two older boys have started to help.

For the icing, which is the same for both recipes, Lewis uses shortening instead of butter or margarine to keep the icing whiter-looking.

 

Aunt Molly's Sour Cream Cookies

• 2 cups sugar
• 1/2 cup shortening
• 1/2 cup butter
• 2 teaspoons vanilla
• 2 eggs
• 5 1/3 cups flour
• 1 cup sour cream
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Mix sugar, shortening, butter, vanilla and eggs in one bowl. In a separate bowl, mix flour, sour cream, baking powder, baking soda and nutmeg. Mix both bowls together. Roll 1/4-inch thick and cut out with cookie cutters.

Bake on an ungreased cookie sheet until no indentation remains when touched.

 

Grami's Cut Out Cookies

• 1 1/2 cups sugar
• 1 cup butter
• 2 eggs
• 3/4 cups milk
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 4 cups flour

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Mix sugar, butter, eggs, milk and salt in one bowl. In a separate bowl, mix baking soda, baking powder, nutmeg, vanilla and flour. Mix both bowls together. Roll out dough to about 1/4-inch thick. Don't use too much flour. Then cut with cookie cutters.

Bake for 12 to 15 minutes on an ungreased cookie sheet.

 

Vanilla Icing

• 1/3 cup soft butter, margarine or shortening
• 3 cups confectioners' sugar
• 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla
• 2 tablespoons milk
• dash of salt, optional

Blend butter, margarine or shortening and sugar together. Then stir in vanilla and milk. Beat until smooth and stiff enough, but not too thick, so it can be spread easily. Then add a dash of salt to cut the sweetness if needed. Add food coloring as desired.