No-Fuss Christmas Cookies (New York Style)

These are inspired by my favorite cakey New York style black-&-white cookies. They are light and fluffy and with a quick flip, they are a perfect vehicle for icing and sprinkles. Best thing about this recipe is that these cookies require no cookie cutters. As much as I love snowmen, snowflakes, and gingerbread men this time of year, the need for cookie perfection forces me to abandon those cookie cutter projects….These are an easy 60 min start-to-finish project that will satisfy your December induced sweet tooth.

Makes approx 3 dozen

For cookies:
1 1/4 cups AP flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/3 ­cup buttermilk
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
7 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
1/2 cup sugar
1 large egg

For Icing:

3 cups confectioners’sugar
2 tablespoons agave nectar (light corn syrup can be used)
2 teaspoons fresh squeezed lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
4-6 tablespoons water

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line two cookie sheets with parchment or silpats. Mix flour, baking soda and salt in a bowl. Stir buttermilk and vanilla in a cup.
In a larger bowl, beat the butter and sugar with an electric mixer until fluffy, approx 3 minutes. Add the egg and mix until combined. Reduce speed to low and add the flour mixture and buttermilk mixture, alternating in batches.
Drop spoonfuls of batter one inch apart onto baking sheets. Bake until the tops of the cookies are rounded and puffed, and the edges are light golden brown, approximately 8 minutes. Be sure to turn the cookie sheets halfway through baking. Transfer to a rack to cool.
To make icing, stir together confectioners’ sugar, agave, lemon, vanilla and 2 tablespoons of water until smooth. Add a little more water if the icing is not spreadable.
Once the cookies are cooled, spread or gently pour the icing on the flat (bottom) part of the cookie. Decorate to your heart’s content. Once decorated, and allowed to sit for a few minutes, the icing will set and will not remain runny.