The holidays can be overwhelming and I find the best advice I can offer you is to be prepared and plan ahead. This way, you can spend most of your time making holiday memories with your family. We start at the beginning of December by putting up the tree so that we have plenty of time for more family traditions.
By buying everyday household products in advance, I have more time to enjoy holiday traditions such as baking my grandmother’s favorite butter cookies with my girls.
I have seen variations of this recipe where you can color the dough and add other flavors but I choose to keep them simple. That is how grandma liked them! Here is the recipe in her handwriting.
Butter Cookie Recipe
4 cups of sifted flour
1 cup sugar
1 lb butter – room temperature
1 egg
Everyone should wash hands really well. You will be mixing the dough with your hands so this is important.
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
Instead of putting a cup at a time into the sifter, I put a 1/2 cup at a time so that they get more turns sifting.
Kids love to sift. I have two different kinds for them to use.
Crack the egg in another bowl to avoid getting shells in the mix.
You cannot mix with a mixer.
Once all ingredients have been added, you will need to mix with your hands.
It takes about 5 minutes to get the dough completely mixed.
I love using the cookie gun. The one pictured is similar to one that my grandmother had. It takes a few times but I found a click and a half click creates the perfect amount of dough.
While the cookies are in the oven, it is time to clean up the mess.
We stat off wiping the table crumbs with Bounty Paper Towels.
How will you be preparing ahead of time so that you can enjoy the holidays and all of your family traditions?
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These are great ideas to prepare ahead of time. I get so stressed out and exhausted at Christmas but I do try to get as much done ahead of time as possible. 🙂
What a special shopping trip! Who doesn’t love Costco, especially during the holidays! Bravo! Great photos!
I think a shopping trip to Costco is in order! So many great products to stock up on for the holidays!
Great ways to prepare for the Holiday! I can’t wait for Costco to open in Yorktown! Those cookies look delicious!
What a lovely holiday tradition making cookies together. I’ve never used one of those cookie guns but the cookies turned out so cute, and you’ve got everything you need for clean up! #client
How sweet that you still have your grandmother’s handwritten recipe! I could be better about stocking up on supplies for when guests come over 🙂 Thanks for the tips!
I didn’t like Costco at first, but now I love the great deals, the fun seasonal finds and I love to stock my pantry (this is so important with a family of 5!!) we even bought our playscape from Costco!
LOVE THESE TIPS.
Our holidays were slow and simple—until the child got older 🙂
Love the pictures and yes holidays are the best time to make memories with the family.
So many great tips! I love the holidays but DEFINITELY need to be prepared for all the ensuing mess!
I LOVE Costco and we used to make those cookies ALL THE TIME as kids! 🙂
such sweet little faces! PS I LOVE COOKIES SO MUCH
This is why I love the holidays. And having plenty of cleaning supplies on hand is SO key.
I ALWAYS run out of paper towels whenever we are hosting for a holiday. That and aluminum foil, it’s ridiculous!! Great tips and love the cute pictures of the girls!
I have to laugh! I have the SAME cookie gun that was handed down to me from my grandma. This is my favorite cookie to make at the holidays because it brings back so many memories!
Those cookies look delicious!
I enjoyed reading this. I love that you still have the recipe in her handwriting — what a treasure.
I freaking love COSTCO! These are great tips for the busy holiday season!
My Grandma and Mom made these cookies when I was little. I love baking with my grandsons.
These cookies look delicious! I try to make cookie dough ahead of time that I keep in the freezer. That way if I need to bring cookies last minute I have some I can whip up easily. I also keep a few wrapped gifts that can be given to someone I forgot just in case.
These look so great– thank you for sharing!
I love butter cookies looking good
Those look great, im gonna try with my kids
Love your organizational skills. I have done these every year and enjoy making them so much. It’s brings the added touch to Christmas!
Those look really good. We got a Costco a couple of years ago but when we considered the major hassle to get to it and it just really didn’t make sense for only 2 people so we let our membership lapse. They do have great prices though if you have a big family!
What a fantastic post here, this just makes me want to grab my grandchildren and start making cookies. I love the recipe you have here and those tools you are using to make those cookies, really nice!
@tisonlyme143
Such a cool recipe to have fun with during the holidays!
I love butter cookies.
Love the recipe here and its fun! making cookies with the family.
@tisonlyme143
I have lots of holiday memories making butter cookies with my grandma! I would love to make this recipe with my nieces!
I love making cookies with my kids during the holidays!
These cookies sounds so good and are very simple! Thanks.
Looks like a wonderful recipe.
I love to make butter cookies with my nieces!
What a great post! I love the use of the cookie gun. But what I love most of all has got to be the photo of the original recipe, in Grandma’s handwriting.