Christmas Cookies

Today, I chose to make Christmas cut-out cookies with vanilla dough, adapted from Martha Stewart's Christmas recipes.

 

It took me a while to complete the recipe but I think the result will please the whole family. Not only did I manage to color my cookies with a very easy colored glaze but the taste of them is stunning.I believe this yield will end pretty soon!!!!

The recipe for the Vanilla Dough is as follows:

• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 3/4 teaspoon baking powder 
• pinch of salt
• 2 sticks unsalted butter
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 large egg
• 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract or vanilla powder

Whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt in a large bowl. Beat butter and granulated sugar with a mixer on medium-high speed until pale and fluffy. Beat in egg and vanilla. Reduce speed to low. Add flour mixture, and beat until combined. 

Shape dough into 2 disks, and wrap each in plastic wrap. Refrigerate until firm, about 1 hour. Roll out 1 disk on a lightly floured piece of parchment to a 1/8- to 1/4-inch thickness. Repeat with remaining disk. Refrigerate until firm, about 30 minutes. Cut out desired shapes.

You place the cookies in a preheated oven, at 170C or 325F and you bake them until the edges become golden brown. Depending on the shapes of the cookies the baking process lasts from 10-18 minutes.

For the Glaze:

Mix in a bowl 1 1/2 cups of confectioner's sugar along with 3-4 tablespoons of either water, milk or lemon juice. If the glaze is thick you might want to add more liquid, if the glaze is thin you might want to add more sugar. You will understand that you have the perfect glaze when this is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon.

Enjoy!!!!!