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Christmas: Christmas Butter Cookies

Source of Recipe


From "Saveur Cooks Authentic American"



List of Ingredients



• 1¼ cups flour
  
• ½ tsp baking powder
  
• â…› tsp salt
  
• 8 Tbsp unsalted butter, softened
  
• 1 cup sugar
  
• 1 egg
  
• ½ tsp vanilla extract
  






Instructions



1. Sift flour, baking powder, and salt together in a bowl and set aside.
   Beat butter in a bowl with an electric mixer on medium speed. Gradually add sugar and beat until mixture is light and fluffy. Beat in egg and vanilla, then reduce speed and gradually add flour mixture until just combined. Divide dough in half and wrap in plastic wrap. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
   
   
2. Preheat oven to 325°F.
   Roll out half of dough to â…›-inch thick, on a lightly floured surface, cut into desired shapes, arrange 1 inch apart on buttered nonstick cookie sheets, and decorate as you like.
   
   
3. Bake for 5 minutes, rotating baking sheet, and bake until golden, about 5 minutes more. Transfer cookies to a wire rack to cool, then finish decorating. Repeat with remaining dough.
   
   Makes about 1 dozen.
   
   
   Variations:
   
   • Almond Rounds:
   Toast blanched almond halves until golden. Roll out dough â…›-inch thick, then cut with a 2¼-inch wide circular cutter. Arrange on a buttered nonstick baking sheet. Beat one egg .with ½ teaspoon water in a bowl. Brush cookies with egg wash, top with 3 almond halves and cinnamon sugar, and bake.
   
   • Snowmen:
   Roll out dough â…›-inch thick and cut with a snowman cutter. Arrange on a buttered nonstick baking sheet. Beat one egg with ½ teaspoon water in a bowl. Brush cookies with egg wash and bake. Mix ¼ cup confectioners' sugar with 1 to 2 tablespoons water and divide between two small bowls. Tint liquid in one bowl with red food coloring and the other with black. Use a small brush to decorate baked snowmen (illustration shows red scarves and black top hats).
   
   • Stars:
   Roll out dough â…›-inch thick and cut with a star-shaped cutter. Arrange on a buttered nonstick baking sheet. Beat one egg with ½ teaspoon water in a bowl. Brush cookies with egg wash and sprinkle with nonpareils (sugar pellets) before baking.