Ingredients: |
Ingredients: Just like Candy cane cookies, but with a bit more flour so they roll easily.
2 cups sugar.
1 ½ cups butter, slightly softened but not warm - the cookies rise better with cooler butter.
4 large eggs - room temperature, well beaten.
1 tsp. vanilla extract or vanilla paste.
5 cups + 2 tbs. AP flour.
2 tsp. baking powder.
1 tsp. salt.
Sparkling or granulated white sugar to sprinkle on the top (optional).
Frosting, sprinkles, and other fun things to decorate.
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Directions: |
Directions:Beat together the butter and sugar with a mixer until the mixture is light and fluffy, at least five minutes. This incorporates air into the mixture which cause the dough to rise as it bakes.
Beat in eggs and vanilla.
In a separate bowl, mix the dry ingredients: flour, baking powder, and salt.
Mix the dry with the wet ingredients, scraping down the sides of the bowl until combined. Do not overmix because you will start developing gluten and get tough cookies.
Turn out dough and divide in half.
Make 2 balls, wrap each in plastic wrap (Saran Wrap) and put them in the fridge.
Chill dough for at least 1 hour (or overnight - again a make in advance recipe).
Heat oven to 400º.
Prepare 1/2 sheet pans by lining with parchment paper.
Take dough out and let warm for 15 minutes so that it handles easily.
Roll out until 1/4" thick (you can put a chopstick on each side of the dough and roll out until they stop the rolling pin. This makes the dough nice and even.
Cut out with holiday cookie cutters and place 1/2" apart on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
If you stick these in the freezer for 10 minutes before baking they hold their shape.
Bake for 8 - 12 minutes until they just start to get golden brown around the edges.
Decorating icing:
½ cup water, ¼ cup meringue powder, 7 cups confectioners' sugar, 2 tbs. light corn syrup (Karo Syrup), 2 tbs. Crisco, 1 tsp. vanilla extract.
Whip water and meringue powder on high speed 10 minutes until soft peaks form (OK, you can use 3 egg whites and do the same thing), Gradually add confectioners' sugar, corn syrup, shortening, and vanilla extract while mixing on low speed. Increase speed back to high and beat until well-combined and smooth, about 3 minutes. Divide and color as desired with food coloring. If the icing is too thick, thin with water, a tablespoon at a time. Store at room temperature in an airtight container for up to one month. Crazy but true. When you use the frosting, cover the bowl and icing bag (you can also put it in a Zip Lock bag and cut off a small bottom corner) with a damp tea towel to keep it from hardening.
Watch out for cookie thieves like Uncle Mark Diamond! |
Personal
Notes: |
Personal
Notes: You can make the dough and freeze for up to a month. The icing can stay in a tightly sealed container on the countertop for a month (scared of that). If you do not have time to cut out fun shapes, roll the dough into a 1 1/2" to 2" thick log, chill and slice into rounds. This works quickly and you can just frost them and add colored sugar.
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This recipe for Grammie Nancy's Christmas Cookie Cutouts is from