Sugar Cookies

If there's one Christmas Cookie that I don't like, it would have to be sugar cookies. I know, I know. What a tragedy. They just aren't my favorite. However, I'm forced to make them every year for my Christmas Cookie tray because my mom and aunt *love* them in a rather unhealthy way. Either way, I'm always looking for a really great recipe for them. So I turned to Good Things Catered because I've yet to be disappointed with a recipe from this great blog, and found "The Most Fabulous Sugar Cookies". And let me tell you, from a girl who doesn't like sugar cookies these were quite good. Am I now a sugar cookie convert? Not really. But I did think these were way better then a "normal" sugar cookie.

Ingredients:
1 1/2 c. butter
1 1/2 c. granulated sugar
1/2 c. powdered sugar
4 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 tsp almond extract
1 Tbsp lemon zest
5 c. flour
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
Powdered sugar, for rolling

Directions:
-Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
-Cream butter and sugars in a mixer for 5 minutes.
-Add eggs one at a time, mixing thoroughly.
-Add vanilla, almond, and lemon zest.
-Sift in flour, baking powder, and salt a little at a time.
-Do not over mix, this process should take about one minute.
-Chill dough for up to a week in the fridge, or roll out and cut right away.
-Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper and bake cookies for 7-8 minutes.
-Wait until cookies are cooled before icing.

I found that this recipe made 30-32 big, thick cookies. Ashlee says 80, so I think it's just the size and thickness of the cookie.

I decorated the cookies with an edge of buttercream, filling of royal icing, and decoration with buttercream.