When I launched the survey to ask what your interests were, many of you said that you would like more cookie recipes. This is my favorite for cookies that you can cut into shapes.
I discovered a love for making cut out cookies when I saw all the cute cookie cutters in someone else’s collection. I had to start a collection of my own and now have one for each season. If you enjoy making cookies that are pretty and fun, this is a great recipe.
Not only are they tasty, but they can be made ahead and frozen for a few weeks. Just don’t ice them until you are ready to serve them or give as a gift. The icing doesn’t stand up well to freezing.
I suggest getting Wilton powdered color because it creates bright, vivid colors. You can find it at baking or craft stores as well as online.
I hope you enjoy!
EASTER COOKIES
(makes 30-34 cut out cookies on average)
1 stick margarine or butter (1/2 cup)
½ cup sugar
1 egg
3 TBS sour cream
1 tsp almond extract (vanilla can be substituted if you wish)
½ tsp baking powder
¼ tsp baking soda
2 cups all purpose flour
ICING
1 box of confectioner’s sugar
1 tsp almond extract
1 ½ TBS egg white powder (found in grocery stores or sold by Wilton)
warm water
food coloring, paste or powder
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Beat butter and sugar in a large mixing bowl until thoroughly blended. Add egg and beat well. Add sour cream, flavoring, baking power and baking soda.
Add flour, 1 cup at a time.
Dough will be soft and can be refrigerated to harden, but it’s not absolutely necessary.
What is necessary is putting plenty of flour on your wax paper surface and on your rolling pin. Lay out a sheet of about 2 feet of wax paper. Sprinkle with flour. Get a large chunk of dough and sprinkle with a little flour.
Now roll out dough, cut and place cookies on a baking sheet. Bake at 350 degrees for about 14-15 minutes until light brown. Let rest a few minutes after removal from the oven and then lift cookies with a spatula to keep them from sticking and they cool further.
To make icing, mix powdered sugar and egg white powder (also call meringue powder) with 6 TBS warm water and 1 tsp of almond extract. The egg whites provide a bit of hardening to the icing though you could make this without it. You have to wait longer for it to dry in between applying other icing decoration, though.
If the icing is not liquid enough keep adding warm water, one tablespoon at a time until it is thick but fluid enough for spreading.
Divide into coffee mugs or bowls and tint to different colors. This icing will harden quickly so you might cover each with plastic until you use it. Add a little water if it becomes too hard.
You can use the back of a spoon for spreading icing on the cookie.
Use dragees or any other candy decorations you wish. Dragees are little edible gold or silver balls, now made in different colors. I’ve used dragees and little round candy confetti for my decorations.
To make decorations with icing, you can place icing in small pastry bags fitted with round decorating tips. These can be bought from baking stores.
You can also buy tinted icing in cans that are fitted with tips to make it extra easy. Just go to the grocery store. Be sure if you use these to let it air harden for a while before covering because that icing is much softer.
The recipe can be doubled for gift giving. Freeze the dough until ready to use if you want to work in batches over time during Christmas.
