Sugar cookies

 A little string of Christmas lights  hung over my kids bed push me to bake a few sugar cookies using these colors as an inspiration. More cookies= more sharing, less guilt  while sneaking in a few of these goodies. Here's a simplest of all recipe to make this baking season fly by. 
A day spent in making these cookies went faster than imagined because there were absolutely no mess to clean up afterwards. Here's why- I didnt sift the flour, didnt roll out  the dough on the kitchen counter & there was no pile of crumbs on the floor. That's a motivation in itself!

A pretty simple one bowl, one wooden spoon recipe. Love it!

1 cup sugar
1 cup butter, softened
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 egg
2 1/3 cups  all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda

Heat oven to 375°F.

Beat sugar and butter with spoon until light and fluffy. Stir in vanilla, and egg. Add in flour and baking soda in batches scraping dough from the sides & mixing evenly. Shape dough by teaspoonfuls into balls. Place about 2 inches apart on ungreased cookie sheet. Flatten with bottom of glass dipped in sugar.

OR

 For roll out cookies, add 2 tbsp extra flour. Divide into two flatened disk, cover with cling wrap. Refrigerate for 15 mins. Roll out between 2 sheets of wax or parchment paper to 1/4"thickness & cut circles.

Bake 9 to 11 minutes or until set. Remove from cookie sheet to wire rack.

 Serve as is, glazed or cover with royal icing. For the glaze, mix 2 tbsp confectioner's sugar & 1 tsp lime juice well. Drizzle over cookies & sprinkle with sanding sugar or citrus zests.