Christmas Ornament Cookies – Country Living

1. In large bowl, with electric mixer on medium speed, beat butter
and shortening until well blended; add sugar and beat until light.
Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.

2. In medium-size bowl, combine flour, baking powder, and salt. With
mixer on low speed, add half of flour mixture to butter mixture and
beat until soft dough forms. Shape dough into 3 equal balls; wrap and
refrigerate at least 30 minutes.

3. To cut and bake cookies: Heat oven to 350F. Lightly grease 2
baking sheets. Cut 2 pieces of waxed paper the same size as the
baking sheets. Lightly flour waxed paper and roll out one ball of
dough between paper to 1/8-inch thickness. Remove top piece of waxed
paper. Using our 7-inch bauble-shaped cookie cutter, cut out as many
baubles from dough as possible, leaving 1/2 inch between each shape.
Remove all trimmings and press together. Invert waxed paper with
baubles onto greased baking sheet and peel off waxed paper. Reroll
trimmings between waxed paper and repeat cutting and inverting
baubles to fill second baking sheet. If making cookies for ornaments,
use a toothpick tp pierce a small hole about 1/2 inch from top of
each cookie.

4. Bake cookies 8 to 10 minutes or until golden. Cool 5 minutes on
baking sheets, then remove to wire racks and cool completely before
decorating. Repeat rolling, cutting, and baking with remaining balls
of dough and trimmings.

5. To decorate cookies as pictured in the magazine (plaid), prepare
Royal Icing. Divide icing in half, placing one half in a medium-size
bowl. Divide remaining half of icing among 3 small bowls or cups.
Tint icing in medium-size bowl pale yellow with yellow food coloring
(see Note). Mix one small bowl of icing with burgundy food coloring,
another with teal food coloring, and the last bowl with violet food
coloring. Spoon icings (except yellow) into separate small pastry
bags fitted with small (#1) writing tips. With pastry brush, paint
the front of each cookie with a think coat of the yellow icing, being
sure not to cover pierced hole; let dry and paint again. When yellow
icing has dried, pipe decorateive lines, dots and curls on front of
cookies using other colored icings. To store cookies, place them in a
single layer in airtight containers.

ROYAL ICING: In large bowl, with electric mixer on low speed, beat
two 1-lb packages confectioners’ sugar, 6 large egg whites (if
cookies will be eaten, use meringue powder and follw package
instructions for Royal Icing: see Note), and 1 teaspoon cream of
tartar until mixed. Increase speed to high, beat until very thick and
fluffy-about 6 minutes. Cover tightly with plastic wrap to prevent
drying until ready to use. Makes 4 cups.

Note: We used Wilton’s Egg Yellow, Burgundy, Teal and Grape Violet
food coloring and meringue powder, which can be purchased wherever
cake decorating supplies are sold or by calling Wilton Industries at
(800) 772-7771.