Magical Holiday Cookie Recipes eCookbook

These beautifully presented Festive Iced Sugar Cookies will look great laid out on your holiday table or left out on a plate for Santa. Prep Time: 1 hour, 25 minutes Cook Time: 8 minutes Ingredients: 2 cups butter (4 sticks) 2 cups sugar 2 eggs 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 1 teaspoon almond extract 1 teaspoon salt 6 cups all-purpose flour

Directions: 1. In a large bowl, cream butter & sugar until smooth. Add eggs, extracts & salt. Mix well. Add flour gradually, stirring well. Cover or wrap dough; chill for an hour or preferably overnight. 2. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. 3. Divide dough into quarters and work with one quarter at a time, keeping the other refrigerated. Roll out on floured surface to about a 1/4 thickness. Cut into shapes with your favorite cookie cutters. Transfer cut-outs to a cool cookie sheet lined with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat. 4. Bake 6 to 8 minutes, or until set but not browned. Cool and decorate with royal icing. Royal Icing: 3 oz pasteurized egg whites 1 teaspoon vanilla 4 cups powdered sugar 1. In a large bowl, beat together whites and vanilla. Gradually add powdered sugar, mixing well. Once all the sugar is incorporated, beat for two minutes on high or until smooth and glossy. Color using gel based food colorings.