Butter Cutout Cookies

The scent of cutout cookies is filling my kitchen at the moment as I bake trays of cookies and take them out of the oven to cool. This seriously puts a smile on my face. Cutout cookies bring me back to my childhood - the delicate process of not over baking them and getting them out of the oven at just the right moment and gently icing them so they don't fall apart in your hand. The past two springs I went over to our friends, the Lillies, to bake cookies with their daughter, Eve, who is now 4 years old. I even contemplated inviting myself over to our new pastor's house to make these cookies with their 3 kids or next door with their 2 girls. But then I decided that I just wanted to make them in peace and quiet and perhaps another time I'll bake with their kids...but I'm really looking forward to making cutouts with BeeBee and her eventual sibling(s).

My favorite recipe for cutouts is the one from Crisco, but since butter-flavored shortening isn't available in the UK, I've been on the lookout for cutout recipes that use ingredients that I can buy here. This one I found on allrecipes.com and it might just be a winner.

Ingredients

1/2 cup butter (no substitutes), softened
1 cup sugar
1 egg
1/2 cup sour cream
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon almond extract (my addition)
3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt

FROSTING (I just used a can of prepared frosting):
1/4 cup cold milk
3 tablespoons instant vanilla pudding mix
1/4 cup butter (no substitutes), softened
2 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Food coloring

Directions

1. In a mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar. Beat in egg, sour cream and vanilla. Combine flour, baking soda and salt; gradually add to creamed mixture. Cover and chill for 1 hour or until easy to handle.
2. On a work surface that has been sprinkled heavily with confectioners' sugar, roll out dough to 1/8-in. thickness. Cut with a 2-1/2-in. cookie cutters. Place 1 in. apart on greased baking sheets. Bake at 375 degrees F for 8-10 minutes or until lightly browned. Immediately remove to wire racks to cool.
3. For frosting, combine milk and pudding mix until smooth; set aside. In a mixing bowl, cream butter. Beat in pudding mixture. Gradually add confectioners' sugar, vanilla and food coloring if desired; beat on high speed until light and fluffy. Frost cookies.