Sugar Cookies

Cookies:
Preheat oven to 375°. Use two baking sheets. I recommend that you cover the sheets with foil.

Mix together flour, salt, baking soda, brown sugar, sugar. Mix in eggs and vanilla. Add 4 sticks of margarine or butter, one stick at a time if using hand mixer. Two sticks at a time if using a stand mixer. It starts to get really stiff after awhile. If you’re having trouble use your hands to finish mixing it together.

Keep dough in bowl and put it in the fridge for at least an hour before making the cookies. You can keep in fridge for over 24 hours if you need to but make sure it is covered. (You can also freeze it for later use. I haven‘t done this before but my grandma says it works out well!). The dough is easier to roll when it is cold.

On a lightly floured surface, roll out portions of dough (depends on the space you have). Roll dough to about 1/4 of an inch thick. Use whatever cookie cutter you want. Place cookies on baking sheet covered in foil. Bake for 9-10 minutes.

When you remove the baking sheet from the oven, remove the foil sheet (cookies and all) and replace it with a fresh foil sheet. The cookies can cool on the foil while you start adding cookies the new sheet. Keep repeating until you have used up all the dough. Allow cookies to cool completely before frosting.

Frosting:
This frosting is a make as much as you want sort of thing. Sort of depends on how much you like frosting and such so I apologize for there not being an exact amount for the frosting. You do however need at least 1/2 stick (4 tablespoons) softened butter and about 1 teaspoon of almond extract.

Mix 1/2 stick of butter, about ¼-½ the package of powdered sugar, a couple splashes of evaporated milk and 1 teaspoon almond extract. Keep mixing until smooth. If it is too stiff, add more milk. If it is too runny add more powdered sugar. Add in food coloring of your choice if you’d like. (Make sure to keep track of how many drops you use just in case you need to make more of the frosting).

**After frosting the cookies, put them in the fridge to harden the frosting (before storing) or you’ll have your cookies sticking together. I always use one baking sheet and frost a few at a time. Once frosting is hardened, remove from fridge to an airtight container.