Traditional rolled christmas sugar cookies

1 servings

Ingredients

Quantity Ingredient
2¼ cup Bleached all-purpose flour
¼ teaspoon Salt
¾ cup Sugar
12 tablespoons Unsalted butter
3 tablespoons Large egg
½ teaspoon \" \"
1 tablespoon Lemon zest finely grated
1 teaspoon Pure vanilla extract
Edible Tempera Color
3 Large egg whites
4 cups Powdered sugar

Directions

Food Processor method

In a small bowl, whisk together the flour and salt.

In a food processor with the metal blade, process the sugar until very fine. Cut the butter into a few pieces and add it with the motor running. Process until smooth and creamy. Add the egg, lemon zest, and vanilla extract and process until incorporated, scraping the sides of the bowl. Add the flour mixture and pulse in just until incorporated.

If the mix seems dry, add a few droplets of water and pulse in just until the dough begins to clump together.

Electic Mixer Method

Soften the butter. In a mixing bowl, cream together the sugar and butter until fluffy. Add the egg, lemon zest, and vanilla extract and beat until blended. In a small bowl, whisk together the remaining dry ingredients, On low speed, gradually add them to the butter mixture and mix until incorporated. Add water, a few drops at a time, only until the dough starts to come away from the sides of the bowl.

For both methods:

Scrape the dough onto a sheet of plastic wrap and use the wrap, not your fingers, to form a thick flat disc. Wrap it well and refrigerate for at least two hours, preferably no longer than 3.

Place 2 oven racks in the upper and lower thirds of the oven. Turn oven on to 350 degrees F.

On a lightly floured surface, roll out the dough to a ⅛ inch thickness. Cut shapes using your favorite Christmas cookie cutters or cardboard patterns or freehand. With a small, angled metal spatula or pancake turner, transfer the cookies to the prepared cookie sheets.

If desired, paint the cookies with Edible Tempera Color. If you are planning to hang the cookies, make small holes with the blunt end of a wooden skewer.

Reroll scraps, chilling them first, if necessary.

Bake for 8 - 12 min. or until the cookies begin to brown around the edges. For even baking, rotate the cookie sheets from top to bottom and front to back halfway through the baking period.

Use a small, angled metal spatula or pancake turner to transfer the cookies to wire racks to cool before decorating with Royal Icing, sprinkles and other glitter edibles.

Keeps several months in airtight container at room temperature.

Edible Tempera Color

Lightly beat 2 large egg yolks and spoon equal amounts of them into 5 small bowls or bowls. Use liquid food coloring to color each mixture.

For yellow, use ½ tsp. of yellow; for red, use ½ tsp of red: for green, use ¼ tsp of green: for blue, use ¼ tsp. of blue: for black, use 1½ tsp of green, 1 ½ tsp of red and 5 drops of blue.

Use a small clean paintbrush to paint the designs on the cookies before baking.

( Great recipe for candy cane cookies with a ribbon and holly shaped cookies.)

Recipe taken from Rose's Christmas Cookies by Rose Levy Beranbaum.

Submitted By COLLEEN ALLEN On 12-21-95

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