Makes 2-3 dozen cookies.
You need:
- 1 cup butter or margarine, softened.
- 1 cup sugar.
- 1 large egg.
- 1 teaspoon vanilla.
- 2 teaspoons baking powder.
- 3 cups flour.
You do:
- Preheat oven to 375° F.
- In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar with an electric mixer.
- Beat in egg and vanilla.
- Add baking powder and flour one cup at a time, mixing after addition.
- The dough will be very stiff; blend last flour in by hand.
- Do not chill.
- Reserve 1/2 cup of dough for decorating.
- Divide dough into 2 balls.
- On a floured surface, roll each ball in a circle approximately 12″ in diameter and 1/8″ thick.
- Dip cookie cutters in flour before each use.
- Pipe cookies with colored outline. (See directions below.)
- Bake cookies on ungreased cookie sheet on middle rack of oven for 8-12 minutes, or until cookies are lightly browned.
- Remove from sheet and cool on wire rack.
Outlining Sugar Cookies with Piped Colored Dough before Baking
- Tint 1/2 cup of reserved cookie dough with Icing Colors.
- Dough should be tinted according to color preference.
- Dough color will lighten when baked.
- Thin desired shade of tinted dough with 1 teaspoon of water at a time until it can be piped through a Round Tip.
- Place dough in a bag fitted with tip.
- Outline and pipe in desired designs.
- Bake according to Sugar Cookie Recipe.
Decorating after Baking
- Paint cookies with a pastry brush and icing.
- Let dry for 2-3 hours.
- To paint in details, thin Icing Colors with clear vanilla and apply with artist brush.
- If sprinkling with sparkles or sugar, add before icing dries.