Christmas Tree Sugar Cookies

• My kids are asking me to make these cookies since Thanksgiving! I love this time of year when we have the reason to make such a cookies and they are so colorful, tasty and really easy to make. So finally today I got to make them, and I can't even explain expression of my children faces when they saw cookies on the kitchen counter top! :)
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For Cookie dough:

• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 cup butter, softened
• 1 1/2 cups white sugar
• 2 egg
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

In a separate bowl whisk together the flour and baking powder. Set aside.

In the bowl of your electric mixer (or with a hand mixer), beat the butter and sugar until light and fluffy (about 4 minutes). Add the eggs and vanilla extract and beat until combined. Add the flour mixture and beat until you have a smooth dough.
Divide the dough in half and wrap each half in plastic wrap. Refrigerate for about one hour or until firm enough to roll.
Preheat oven to 350F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. 
Remove one half of the chilled dough from the refrigerator and, on a lightly floured surface, roll out the dough to a thickness of 1/4 inch (1 cm). Cut out cookies using a lightly floured tree cookie cutter and transfer cookies to the prepared baking sheet. Place the baking sheets with the unbaked cookies in the refrigerator for 10 to 15 minutes to chill the dough which prevents the cookies from spreading and losing their shape while baking.

Confectioners Frosting

2 cups confectioners sugar (powdered sugar), sifted

1/2 cup butter, room temperature

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 1/2 tablespoons milk

In an electric mixer, cream the butter until smooth and well blended.  Add the vanilla extract.  With the mixer on low speed, gradually beat in the sugar.  Scrape the the sides of the bowl and beater.  Add the milk and beat on high speed until frosting is thick and smooth.

When the cookies are light golden brown, take it out and place on the cookie wire rack or just let them cool down a bit on the parchment paper. Put little bit of frosting and sprinkle with sugar colored crystals - I used red and green, take a sugar frosting and make an imitation of the lights with a few decorating colored sprinkles on top as a representation of lights.

Enjoy!

Happy Holidays!