Christmas would hardly seem like Christmas without fancifully shaped and decorated cookies. Decorated cookies are thought to have originated in pre-Christian times as offerings to various gods. You and your children will love these cookies. The honey in this recipe makes these cookies melt in your mouth.

This has always been a favorite cookie of my children. They are now adults, but we still make these Christmas Cookies every year. This recipe originally came from an older 1960's Betty Crocker's Cookbook that I received for a wedding gift in 1961.

More of Linda's favorite Cookie Recipes and Secrets To Making Perfect Cookies.

Also learn How To Have A Successful Holiday Cookie Exchange or Cookie Swap.

Merry Christmas Cookies

1/3 cup vegetable shortening
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 egg
2/3 cup honey
1 teaspoon lemon extract
2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt

In a large bowl, cream vegetable shortening, sugar, egg, honey, and lemon extract until light and fluffy. Sift in flour, baking soda, and salt; stir until well blended. Refrigerate dough at least 1 hour or overnight.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Lightly grease cookie sheets. On a lightly floured board, roll dough to 1/4-inch thick; cut into desired shapes with cookie cutters. Place 1 inch apart onto prepared cookie sheets.

Bake 8 to 10 minutes or until edges are light brown. Remove from oven and cool on wire racks. When cool, frost with Milk-Frosting and decorate as desired.

Yields 5 dozen cookies.

MILK FROSTING:
1 cup powdered (confectioners') sugar
1/2 teaspoon lemon extract
1 to 1 1/2 tablespoons milk
Food coloring of your choice

In a small bowl, combine powdered sugar, lemon extract, and enough milk to make frosting easy to spread. Tint, if desired, with a few drops of food coloring.

Comments from readers:

Thank you so much for publishing this cookie recipe. My mom always made these from a cookie book from the 1930’s. The original had depression-era substitutes of Karo light syrup for honey. They also had a dark version with molasses (or karo dark). I have moved several times and somewhere along the line the books with these were lost. - Rosemary (12/10/06)