Contributor: Robert Reeb, owner, Maison Robert Fine Chocolates in Chamblee

Louie Favorite (ENLARGE)

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Reeb, whose father, Frederic, was a pastry chef and baker in Metz, France, remembers spending many after-school hours placing these cookies in sheet pans for the family's bakery and tea room.

Decades later, Reeb opened his own French bakery and tearoom in Brookhaven. The sugar cookies were a hit at Maison Robert, too. They were prepared simply, as they were in France: shaped like stars, Santa, snowmen, sleighs, candles and reindeer, but no other decorations.

Reeb and his wife, Patricia, closed Maison Robert over 10 years ago. Now they operate Maison Robert Fine Chocolates in Chamblee, which specializes in handmade truffles. You won't find any sugar cookies, but there are holiday offerings in chocolate and marzipan.

Makes 48 cookies

Preparation time: 40 minutes, plus several hours or overnight refrigeration

Cooking time:

8-12 minutes per sheet

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature

1 1/4 cups granulated sugar

3 eggs

1/2 teaspoon lemon extract

3 1/3 cups all-purpose flour

1/4 teaspoon baking powder

With an electric mixer, cream the butter and sugar. Add eggs, one at a time, beating after each addition. Add lemon extract. In a bowl, sift flour and baking powder. Gradually fold in flour mixture, until just combined. Dough will be sticky.

Transfer dough to plastic wrap and flatten. Place in the refrigerator to chill for several hours or overnight.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Divide dough into pieces keeping unused portion in refrigerator. On a lightly floured surface with a floured rolling pin, roll dough to 1/8-inch thickness. Using Christmas cookie cutters, cut and put on baking sheets lined with parchment. Bake for 8 to 12 minutes, until lightly golden. Cool before decorating.

Per cookie: 90 calories (percent of calories from fat, 42), 1 gram protein, 12 grams carbohydrates, no fiber, 4 grams fat, 22 milligrams cholesterol, 7 milligrams sodium.