Best Holiday Cutout Cookies Recipes

HOLIDAY CUTOUT COOKIES

Steps:

• In a large bowl, cream butter, shortening and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs, milk and extracts. In another bowl, whisk flour, baking soda and salt; gradually beat into creamed mixture. Divide dough into four portions. Shape each into a disk; wrap in plastic. Refrigerate, covered, overnight or until firm enough to roll., Preheat oven to 400°. On a lightly floured surface, roll each portion of dough to 1/8-in. thickness. Cut with floured 3-in. holiday cookie cutters. Place 1 in. apart on ungreased baking sheets., Bake until edges are lightly brown, 5-7 minutes. Remove from pans to wire racks to cool completely., In a large bowl, beat confectioners' sugar, vanilla and enough cream to reach a spreading consistency. If desired, beat in food coloring. Frost and decorate cookies as desired.

HOLIDAY DOG CUTOUT SUGAR COOKIES

Steps:

• Sift the flour, baking powder and salt into a medium bowl; set aside. Beat the butter and sugar in a large bowl with an electric mixer on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Add the egg and vanilla and beat until incorporated. Reduce the mixer speed to low and beat in the flour mixture in 2 batches until just incorporated. Divide the dough between 2 pieces of plastic wrap; shape into disks. Wrap and refrigerate until firm, at least 1 hour. (The dough can be frozen for up to 1 month; thaw overnight in the refrigerator before rolling.)
• Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. Working with 1 disk at a time, roll out the dough on a floured surface, dusting with flour as needed, until about 1/8 inch thick. Cut out shapes with 2- to 4-inch dog-shaped cookie cutters and arrange 2 inches apart on the prepared baking sheets. (If the dough becomes too soft as you work, return it to the refrigerator until firm.) Gather the scraps and refrigerate until firm; reroll once to cut out more cookies. Chill the cutouts 30 minutes.
• Position racks in the upper and lower thirds of the oven and preheat to 350 degrees F. Bake the cookies, switching the pans halfway through, until slightly puffed and just golden, 13 to 15 minutes. Let cool 5 minutes on the baking sheets, then transfer to racks to cool completely before icing.
• To decorate the cookies, divide the Basic Royal Icing into bowls and tint as desired with food coloring. The thicker icing will be used to outline your decorations.
• To make the flood icing for filling, remove three-quarters of the desired color icing to a small bowl and stir in a few drops of water until flooding consistency is achieved -- you can run a knife through it and it flows back to where it was in 10 seconds. Transfer the flood icing to a piping bag fitted with a number 2 round tip. Transfer the remaining thick icing to a piping bag fitted with a number 1 round tip. Use additional piping bags and tips for different colors of icing.
• Draw outlines of your decorations with the thicker royal icing, then pipe a generous amount of the same-colored flood icing inside the border of each design.
• Using a toothpick, spread the icing to cover the cookie. If making a design, decorate with more colored icing while the flood icing is still wet, using a toothpick to swirl to colors together as desired. Decorate with sugar pearls if using. Let the cookies set at room temperature, at least 1 hour.
• Whisk the confectioners' sugar and meringue powder in a large bowl. Add 5 tablespoons water and beat with a mixer on medium-high speed until soft glossy peaks form, adding up to 1 more tablespoon water if necessary, about 5 minutes. Cover the bowl with a damp paper towel and plastic wrap until ready to use to prevent the icing from drying out.

HOLIDAY SPRINKLE CUTOUT COOKIES

Steps:

• Heat oven to 375°F. In medium bowl, stir cookie mix, melted butter and egg until soft dough forms. Stir in crushed cereal.
• On floured surface, roll dough 1/4 inch. Cut with 3-inch cookie cutters. On ungreased cookie sheets, place cutouts 1 inch apart.
• Bake 7 to 9 minutes or until edges are light golden brown. Cool 1 minute; remove from cookie sheets. Cool completely, about 15 minutes.
• Decorate as desired with frosting, sprinkles and sugars.

BLUE RIBBON WINNER HOLIDAY CUTOUT COOKIES

Steps:

• Cream shortening and butter with powdered sugar til light and fluffy.
• Add eggs one at a time til incorporated; mixing well; add extracts til blended.
• Sift flour, baking soda and cream of tartar in separate bowl. Stir with whip until well blended.
• Add dry mixture to batter; mixing just until incorporated and creamy. Do not overbeat.
• Chill in bowl for at least 4 hours or overnight.
• Roll out on lightly floured board or between Saran Wrap sheets.
• Cut out and transfer to lightly greased cookie sheets.
• Bake at 350° for 8-10 minutes. Do not overbrown. Edges should be very light brown.
• Leave on cookie sheet exactly one minute before transferring to cooling rack. The cookie should have a crisp melt in your mouth texture.
• Souce: Blue Ribbon Winner Cookie Entry Minnesota State Fair 1987.

EASY HOLIDAY CUTOUT COOKIES

Steps:

• Heat oven to 375°F. In medium bowl, stir cookie mix, flour, softened butter and egg until soft dough forms. Roll dough on floured surface to about 1/4 inch thick. Cut with cookie cutters. Place 1 inch apart on ungreased cookie sheet.
• Bake 7 to 9 minutes or until light golden brown around edges. Cool 1 minute before removing from cookie sheet; cool completely.
• Spread frosting on cooled cookies. Decorate as desired with remaining ingredients.