We started a tradition several years back cut-out and decorate cookies at Christmas. Everyone helped with cutting out and decorating of the cookies - I do the rolling part. Some years the dough worked better than others.
I've been in search of a preferred recipe, and this year's was a success! I'm posting them for the future!
Ingredients:
Cookies:
- 390 grams all-purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 200 grams granulated sugar
- 8 ounces (2 sticks) unsalted butter
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2-3 drops orange oil (optional, but recommended)
Icing:
- 16 ounces powdered sugar
- 4 tablespoons hot water
- 1 tablespoon light Karo syrup
- pinch of salt
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 4 drops lemon oil (add really nice flavor!)
Instructions:
- Combine flour, salt, baking powder, and sugar in the work bowl of a food processor, whisking to combine well.
- Cut butter into small cubes and add to dry ingredients.
- Whirr the mix, scraping down as needed, until the butter is fully mixed into the flour.
- The mix will look sandy, and clump easily between your fingers.
- Add the egg, vanilla, and orange oil, whirr the food processor until everything blends into an even cookie dough, scraping down a few times to help it mix evenly. Pulse a few times so dough comes together in a blob.
- Divide dough in half, and mash each half into a ball. (Let the balls rest while you make additional batches of dough.)
- Roll each dough piece out between two pieces of parchment paper.
(I used two long plastic strips to create even slabs about 3/16" thick. I taped them butted up to the counter less than my rolling pin width apart. I slid the bottom piece of parchment paper under the strips, patted out the dough some, and placed a second parchment piece on top before rolling. After rolling, I peeled off the top parchment paper.)
- Slide each dough slab still on its parchment onto a cookie sheet. Stack additional slabs on top of the first, rolling out all dough.
- Let chill at least overnight in the refrigerator. (Or possibly chill in freezer for 20 minutes until solid.)
- When it is time to cut-out cookies, preheat oven to 375 (using convection oven if possible.)
- Provide each helper with an assortment of cookie cutters and a slab of cookie dough.
- Cut-out cookies. Re-roll dough scraps between parchment paper, and cut out all dough.
- Place cookies on parchment 1" apart on cookie sheets.
- Bake cookies for 10 to 12 minutes until they are a light golden brown on edges.
(Adjust time to match oven.) - Let cookies sit for five minutes on the tray after removing from the oven, then transfer to a cooling rack to cool completely.
(I recommend letting the cookies cool overnight, and decorating the next night. This will help the enthusiasm of your helpers as well.) - Make up the icing an hour or more before you want to decorate.
- Put the powdered sugar, hot water, syrup, salt, vanilla, and lemon oil in large bowl. Mix together, increasing speed. You want a fairly thick consistency. Mix in food gel or food color to get several colors.
- Divide the cookies among your helpers, and decorate away!
(I like using piping bags with just a small point cut off one end, sealed with bands on the other. The various piping tools can be used if desired.)
Carole's Notes:
We all liked these cookies! I find the drops of lemon oil in the icing really improve the flavor.
If you have helpers for cutting the dough out later, make additional batches. I made 3 batches when I had Alex and Joanne to join in the cutting. Three batches made a lot cookies!
Three batches of icing each divided in half, then colored will give you six colors and plenty of icing for 3 batches of cookie dough.
The recipe is lightly adapted from https://smittenkitchen.com/2019/12/unfussy-sugar-cookies/ and the icing is lightly adapted from https://sallysbakingaddiction.com/christmas-sugar-cookies/
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