Tips for Making Cut-Out Cookies

I love the molasses cut-outs too!

Growing up we always made lots of cut-out Christmas cookies. Coming from a family of ten kids we made A LOT of cookies. It was so much fun to use mom's cookie cutters--each of us had our favorites. (Thankfully not all ten of us were old enough to help at the same time or I think mom would have gone crazy!) I loved the gingerbread man and woman.

I kept the tradition going with my own children. Every Christmas we cut out cookies, baked, frosted and decorated them. Sometimes it seemed like we made as many cookies as when I was growing up but really we didn't. With only three helpers (Jerry mostly came around when we were frosting them just so he could lick out the bowl.) I think I did more than my share of the work but I didn't mind.

I was still making the cookies the way my mom had taught me. Then today I saw Sweetopia's post that includes tips for making cut-out cookies. Man I wish I had found these years ago! Now that the kids are grown I haven't made cut-out cookies for a few years. But after seeing her easy tips I am going to try them again! I can't wait to make them because there will be less mess and the results should be way better. Although I am going to cut my recipe way down since I'll be doing the cutting out, baking, frosting and decorating all by myself. (Jerry will probably still come around for the frosting bowl!)

Do you make cut-out cookies? At Christmas or at other holidays too?