Butter Cookie Angels – Country Living Holidays

1. In medium-size bowl, combine flour, baking powder, and salt.

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

3. With mixer on low speed, add half of flour mixture to butter
mixture and beat just until blended; add remaining flour mixture and
beat until soft dough forms. Shape dough into 3 equal balls; wrap and
refrigerate at least 30 minutes.

4. Heat oven to 350’F. 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 6-inch angel-shaped
cookie cutter, cut out as many angels as possible from dough, leaving
1/2 inch between cookies. Remove all trimmings and press together.
Invert waxed paper with angels onto greased baking sheet and peel off
waxed paper. Reroll trimmings between waxed papers and repeat cutting
and inverting angels to fill second baking sheet. If making cookies
for ornaments, pierce a small hole with a drinking straw about 1/2
inch from top of each cookie.

5. 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.

6. To decorate cookies, prepare Royal Icing. Divide icing between 2
bowls. Cover one bowl tightly with plastic wrap. Using just a few
drops yellow food coloring, tint the other bowl of icing very pale
yellow.

7. With pastry brush, paint the front of each cookie with a thin
coating of tinted icing, being sure not to cover up pierced hole; let
dry and paint again. When icing has dried, brush cookies with gold
dust, if desired. Pipe decorative designs on front of cookies using
reserved white icing and pastry bag fitted with a small (#1) writing
tip. If using small gold dragees, carefully place onto cookies before
icing dries. If making cookies well in advance, store in airtight
container and freeze.

Royal Icing: In large bowl, with electric mixer on low speed, beat 2
1-lb packages confectioners’ sugar, 6 large egg whites (if cookies
are going to be eaten, use meringue powder instead of egg whites and
follow package instructions for Royal Icing; see Note), and 1 t 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 dry- ing until ready to use. Makes 4 C.