Random Thoughts From Marybeth

Holiday Sugar Cookies

You can decorate these cookies with colored sugar or other decorations before baking or decorate the cooled cookies with icing or frosting. If you're going to be doing a lot of baking, make the dough the day before and cut and bake these cookies the next day before the kitchen gets too warm. The cooler the room is, the easier the dough will be to handle and the less flour you will need when rolling it out. These cookies are soft and puffy but too much flour can make them tough.

Cut-Out Sugar Cookies

3 1/4 c. cake flour
1 t. baking soda
1/2 t. salt
1/2 t. nutmeg
1/2 c. butter, softened
1 c. sugar
1 egg
1 1/2 t. vanilla
1/2 c. sour cream

Combine dry ingredients; set aside. Cream butter. Add sugar, egg, and vanilla; beat well. Beat in sour cream. Gradually add dry ingredients. Chill dough for at least an hour.

Roll out dough to 1/4" thickness onto a lightly floured surface. Cut with cookie cutters. Bake on lightly greased or parchment paper covered cookie sheets at 400 degrees for 8 to 10 minutes (adjust time for size of cookies).

Either the icing or the frosting may be tinted with food coloring. You can use liquid coloring for pale colors but need paste coloring for darker colors. Once the icing/frosting is made, divide it into separate bowls to add the coloring.

Royal Icing - makes a hard, shiny glaze.

3 egg whites (1/4 cup pasteurized egg whites)
4 cups sifted powdered sugar (confectioners' sugar)
1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla or almond extract, optional

Beat egg whites, sugar and cream of tarter with mixer at medium speed for about 5 to 7 minutes. Use immediately or store in covered containers.

Put the rack of cookies on top of wax paper to catch the drips then you can dip the cookies in the icing or spread it on with a table knife. (If your icing begins to harden while you're using it, stir in a drop or two of warm water.)

Vanilla Frosting

1/3 c. shortening
1 T. margarine
3 c. sifted powdered sugar
3 T. milk
1 1/2 t. vanilla

Beat all ingredients together until well mixed. Spread or pipe onto cookies.