Grandma Nester’s Christmas Cookies
These Christmas cookies are known as "cut-out cookies" or "sugar cookies." The high sugar content and combination of lard or shortening with eggs and sweetened condensed milk suggest a rich dough that can be rolled out and cut into various shapes. These cookies are often decorated with icing or sprinkles and are popular during Christmas for holiday festivities. The flavoring (vanilla, almond, lemon, or other extracts) adds a nice taste, while the leavening agents (baking powder and baking soda) help to achieve a lighter texture, even though the dough is quite stiff.With a stiff dough, you can handle it easily for rolling and cutting into shapes, making them perfect for holiday decorations. Enjoy your baking!
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Equipment
- Stand Mixer
- Measuring Cups
- Measuring Spoons
- Rolling Pin
- Cookie Cutters
- Baking Sheets
- Parchment paper
Ingredients
- 4 cups sugar
- 2 cups lard or shortening – but actual lard is best
- 4 eggs
- 2 cups sweetened condensed milk
- 4 tsp baking powder
- 2 tsp baking soda
- 2 tsp flavoring
- 8 cups flour All purpose flour. You will probably need a couple more cups to make the dough stiff enough.
Instructions
- Mix all ingredients except the flour in a stand mixer using the paddle attachment.
- While mixing on medium speed, slowly add flour, one cup tablespoon at a time, until the dough is stiff.
- Turn the dough out onto a rolling mat, flatten it as much as possible by hand, and then roll it out to 1/8 “to 1/4” in height.
- Use cookie cutters to make your cookie shapes.
- Place on parchment paper on a baking sheet, bake at 375˚F, and bake until the edges turn color, about 8 minutes.
- Remove from the oven and put the cookies on a cooling rack. Let cool for at least 15 minutes before icing or decorating.
Notes
- Lard is preferred over butter for cut-out cookies because of its higher melting point, which can lead to a crispier, more crumbly texture due to the larger fat crystals that create more air pockets as they melt during baking, resulting in a lighter, flakier cookie compared to butter which can make cookies spread more and become softer.
- The flour-to-sugar ratio of 2 to 1 is most common in cut-out cookies. Add flour by tablespoon until the dough is stiff and not sticky.
Grandma Nester’s original recipe…
Nutrition
Calories: 195kcalCarbohydrates: 38gProtein: 4gFat: 4gSaturated Fat: 2gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 1gTrans Fat: 0.001gCholesterol: 3mgSodium: 323mgPotassium: 97mgFiber: 1gSugar: 23gVitamin A: 88IUVitamin C: 1mgVitamin D: 0.02µgVitamin E: 0.05mgCalcium: 101mgIron: 2mgZinc: 0.3mg
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