Christmas Cutout Cookies

In a hurry? Skip the icing and sprinkle the cookies with decorating sugar or sprinkles before baking.

You’ll Need:
Basic Butter Cookies Dough:
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 cup granulated sugar
1 large egg yolk
1 tsp vanilla extract
¼ tsp salt
2 cups all-purpose flour
Decorating sugar or granulated sugar for sprinkling

Directions:

1. In a large bowl, with an electric mixer, beat together the butter and granulated sugar on medium speed until light, two to three minutes. Beat in the egg yolk, then the vanilla and salt. On low speed, gradually beat in the flour just until mixed. The dough should be medium-stiff.
2. Gather the dough into a ball, pat into a thick disk, and wrap in plastic wrap. Refrigerate until firm, at least 1 hour or up to 1 day.
3. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly grease or spray cookie sheets.
4. Place the dough on a lightly floured pastry cloth or board, and roll out ¼ inch thick. Using a 2½-inch round cookie cutter, cut out cookies. Using a spatula, transfer the cookies to the prepared cookie sheets, spacing them about 1½ inches apart. Gather the scraps, reroll, and cut out more cookies. Sprinkle the cookies lightly with the decorating sugar.
5. Bake in the center of the oven until faintly golden, 8 to 10 minutes. Let cool on the cookie sheets for 1 minute, then transfer to wire racks to cool completely.

Easy Vanilla Icing
Makes 1 ½ cups
Similar to fondant, this icing sets with a smooth finish. If you are not using a food
processor, sift the sugar to avoid lumps in the finished icing.
2 cups confectioners’ sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
4 to 6 tbsp heavy cream or milk, or as needed
Food colouring of choice (optional)

Directions:

1. To make the icing in a food processor, combine the sugar and vanilla in the processor bowl. With the machine running, pour the cream through the feed tube, adding just enough cream to form a smooth, spreadable icing.
2. To make the icing by hand, sift the confectioners’ sugar into a bowl. Add the vanilla, then whisk in enough cream to make a smooth, spreadable icing.
3. To tint the icing lightly, add a drop or two of food coloring and whisk to colour uniformly. Use immediately, or cover tightly and store at room temperature for up to two days. (Do not refrigerate.) Whisk briefly before using.

Food coloring in colour(s) of choice (optional)
Decorating sugar, nonpareils, sprinkles, decorator icing, and/ or other decorations as desired.

Excerpted from Very Merry Cookie Party: How to Plan and Host a Christmas Cookie Exchange by Barbara Grunes & Virginia Van Vynck. Copyright © 2010 by author. Excerpted by permission of Chronicle Books. All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher. Buy the book!