Cookie Dough for Cut Cookies

A single recipe will produce 2-3 dozen cookies.

2/3 cup vegetable shortening

3/4 cup sugar

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

1 egg

4 teaspoons milk

2 cups flour

1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt


Egg Yolk Glaze:

1 egg yolk

2-3 drops of food coloring


White Decorating Icing:

1-- 2 pound package powdered sugar

1/4 cup milk

2 tablespoons  egg whites


Directions:

Use an electric mixer for this.
 
1.  Cream the shortening, sugar and vanilla together for about 2 minutes.  Add the milk and mix well.

2.  Sift the flour, baking powder and salt together.

3.  Blend flour mixture into the creamed batter.

4.  If making a single recipe, divide the dough into two pieces.  If you doubled it, divide dough into three pieces.  Slightly flatten each piece between two sheets of waxed paper.  Use a rolling pin to flatten it to a 1/4" thickness.  Refrigerate these pieces of flattened dough in the refrigerator for 1 hour or in the freezer for 20 minutes.

5.  Roll out the cold dough on a lighly floured surface.  Use a glass glass or cookie cutters on the dough.  Transfer the cut cookie dough onto a lightly greased cookie sheet.  Chill until firm for approximately 30 minutes.


For making egg yolk glaze:

1.  Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

2.  While cookies are chilling, mix the yolk, 1 teaspoon water and 3 drops of food coloring.

3.  Use a soft kitchen brush to apply this to the top of the chilled cookies.

4.  Bake for 6-7 minutes.  Do NOT brown these.  It is normal for them to come out of the often puffed up a bit.  The glaze will be crackled.

5.  Place the baked cookies on a rack, if possible, for 30 minutes to thoroughly cool.

If you prefer not to use the glaze, that is fine.  You can sprinkle colored sugar on top of the raw cookies instead or you can frost the baked cookies with the icing.

Stir the icing ingredients together very well.  When this is thickened, you can frost the cooled cookies with the icing.  Allow to dry.

Enjoy!

VLE-B