This Muffler Family favorite is great for baking with kids! Let your creative flag fly! Will you make Christmas dinosaurs? Or stick to the classics? What colors will you use? It's all up to you! Gma Muffler's Christmas Cookie Recipe has been in my family for generations. I have fond memories of baking these with my grandparents every year during my childhood. My favorite part was when my Grandpa would let me sneak a taste of the cookie dough when Gma wasn't looking.
Fun Fact, during the depression, vanilla extract was hard to come by, so my great-grandmother substituted orange juice, creating the recipe my family enjoys today!
Ingredients:
- 2/3 Cups of Crisco Shortening
- 1 1/4 Cups Sugar
- 2 Eggs
- 4 Cups Flour
- 2 Teaspoons Baking Powder
- 1/2 Teaspoon Salt
- 2 Tablespoons Orange Juice
You Will Also Need:
- Rolling Pin
- Baking Sheets
- Cookie Cutters
- Assorted Sprinkles and Sugars
Directions:
- Mix shortening and sugar in a large bowl until creamed.
- Beat eggs then add to shortening mixture. Mix well.
- In a separate bowl, mix 3 cups of flour with Baking Powder and Salt.
- Put aside the remaining cup of flour. This will be used during the decorating.
- Add 1 cup of the flour mixture to the shortening mixture and mix well.
- Once mixed, add a second cup of the flour mixture.
- Add in 2 tablespoons of orange juice (or substitute 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract and 1 1/12 tablespoons of water) and
mix well.
- Mix in the final cup of the flour mixture
- Chill the dough for 1 hour.
- Preheat the oven to 350*.
- Use a rolling pin to roll out the dough* to the desired thickness.
- Use the cookie cutters to shape the cookies.
- Move cookies to the baking sheet and decorate using assorted sprinkles and sugars.
- Once decorated, bake for 8-10 minutes. Watch the first batch carefully so they do not burn.
- Cookies will be soft when they come out of the oven and will firm after cooling.
*Pro-Tip: Use flour on the rolling pin and cookie cutters to keep the dough from sticking.
Have Fun Decorating!
