Christmas Sugar Cookies

This was my first Christmas away from home, and I knew the #1 thing I had to do to make it feel like "Christmas" was make these: my Mom's Sugar Cookies with Buttercream Frosting.

I did the baking and Chris helped me decorate them...the only problem now is there are only two of us to finish eating them all! Ack!

Cookies:

1 c. butter
1 ½ c. sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla
½ tsp. almond extract
4 ½ c. flour
1 tsp. soda
½ tsp. salt

Cream butter and sugar together. Add eggs and extracts. Add sifted dry ingredients to preceding mixture. Chill and roll out.
Bake 10 minutes at 350°F.

Frosting:
(I found this recipe online at Savory Sweet Life, and it worked perfectly!)

1 cup butter (2 sticks or 1/2 pound), softened

3-4 cups confectioners (powdered) sugar, SIFTED

1/2 teaspoon table salt

1 tablespoon vanilla extract

up to 4 tablespoons milk or heavy cream (*I used 2 TBS heavy cream, since I had it in the fridge.)

Beat butter for a few minutes with a mixer with the paddle attachment on medium speed. Add 3 cups of powdered sugar and turn your mixer on the lowest speed (so the sugar doesn’t blow everywhere) until the sugar has been incorporated with the butter. Increase mixer speed to medium and add vanilla extract, salt, and 2 tablespoons of milk/cream and beat for for 3 minutes. If your frosting needs a more stiff consistency, add remaining sugar (*I added an additional 1/2 cup). If your frosting needs to be thinned out, add remaining milk 1 tablespoons at a time.