Holiday Cut-Out Cookies
Preparation time: 15 minutes
Chilling time: 1 hour
Cooking time: 6-10 minutes per batch
Yield: 2 dozen cookies
Ingredients
3 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 sticks (1 cup) unsalted butter
1 cup sugar
1 egg
2 1/4 teaspoons vanilla
1 tablespoon milk
2 to 3 drops lemon or almond extract, optional
Sift flour, baking powder and salt into medium bowl; set aside. Cream butter and sugar in electric mixer until smooth and fluffy. Beat in egg, vanilla, milk and, if using, lemon or almond extract. Slowly mix in flour. Divide dough in half. Wrap in plastic wrap; refrigerate 1 hour.
Heat oven to 350 degrees. Roll dough on lightly floured surface to 1/8-inch thickness. Cut into desired shapes with 4-inch cutters. Bake on sheets until firm in center and golden around edges, 6-10 minutes. Cool on wire rack before icing.
Adapted from a recipe by Valerie Grondy, Bittersweet Pastry Shop.
Nutrition information per cookie (without icing):
Calories: 160
Percent of calories from fat: 45
Carbohydrates: 20 grams
Fat: 8 grams
Cholesterol: 30 milligrams
Protein: 2 grams
Saturated fat: 5 grams
Sodium: 45 milligrams
Fiber: 0.4 grams
Flood Icing and Royal Icing
Preparation time: 10 minutes
Yield: About 3 cups
2 large egg whites (see note)
2 2/3 cups confectioners’ sugar
Food coloring
Flood icing: Beat egg whites until frothy; cook in saucepan over low heat until temperature reaches 165 degrees on instant read thermometer. Combine egg whites and sugar in bowl of electric mixer; beat on low speed 10 minutes. Use to pipe outlines on cookies.
Royal icing: Add 1 teaspoon water to mixture. Spread with pastry or other small knife to frost and decorate cookie.
Note: Uncooked egg whites may contain salmonella bacteria and should be avoided by young children, the elderly, pregnant women and anyone with a compromised immune system. If desired, substitute by mixing 3 tablespoons meringue powder with 3 tablespoons warm water.
Blend with sugar as directed.
Adapted from a recipe by Valerie Grondy.
Nutrition information per tablespoon:
Calories: 25
Percent of calories from fat: 0
Carbohydrates: 7 grams
Fat 0 grams
Cholesterol: 0 milligrams
Protein: 0 grams
Saturated fat: 0 grams
Sodium: 2 milligrams
Fiber: 0 grams
Gingerbread Cookies
Preparation time: 1 hour
Chilling time: 1 hour
Cooking time: 12-15 minutes per batch
Yield: 18 large cookies
Ingredients
2 sticks (1 cup) unsalted butter, slightly softened
3/4 cup light brown sugar, packed
1 egg
1/2 cup dark molasses (not blackstrap)
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons ground ginger
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon each: salt, ground cloves
Cream butter in large bowl of electric mixer until smooth; beat in sugar until light and fluffy, about 4 minutes. Mix in egg. Mix in molasses and vanilla.
Sift flour, ginger, cinnamon, baking soda, salt and cloves into medium bowl. Add flour mixture to butter mixture in batches; mix until just combined. Shape dough into two discs. Wrap in plastic wrap; refrigerate 1-2 hours.
Heat oven to 350 degrees. Roll dough on lightly floured surface to 1/4-inch thickness. Cut into shapes. Place on greased cookie sheets. Bake 12-15 minutes, until firm. Cool on wire rack before icing.
Adapted from a recipe in “Butter Sugar Flour Eggs,” by Gale Gand, Rick Tramonto and Julia Moskin.
Nutrition information per cookie (without icing):
Calories: 235
Percent of calories from fat: 41
Carbohydrates: 33 grams
Fat: 11 grams
Cholesterol: 40 milligrams
Protein: 2.8 grams
Saturated fat: 7 grams
Sodium: 80 milligrams
Fiber: 0.7 grams
