Christmas Ornament Cookies Recipe

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.

Country Living/November/1994 Scanned & edited by Di Pahl & gg