Charlene's Cookies

Ingredients

• 1 cup lightly salted butter, at room temperature
• 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
• 5 large eggs
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 4 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• Tubes of commercial frosting for decorating (red, green, white, blue) or colored sugar sprinkles

Instructions

In a large bowl beat butter until creamy. Add sugar and beat for four minutes. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Stir in vanilla. Add baking powder and 1 cup of flour and mix well. Then add the remaining flour one cup at a time and mix well. The dough will be soft. Cover and chill for four hours or longer.

Heat oven to 350 degrees. On a lightly floured board take one third of the dough and roll out into 1/8 inch thickness. Dip cookie cutters in flour and cut out dough. Place on ungreased cookie sheets. If using colored sugar sprinkles, apply them before baking. Bake 10 – 12 minutes until pale brown. Remove from oven and let cool 2 minutes on baking sheet before transferring to wire rack to cool. Roll out and bake remaining dough.

When the cookies have cooled completely, frosting from the tubes may be applied. Have fun with this! This recipe makes 5 dozen cookies.