Make Christmas Cut Out Cookies with Royal Icing

Sugar Cookies & Gingerbread People are Fun to Make during Christmas

© Deborah Harding

Dec 1, 2008

Everyone loves those Christmas cut out cookies that you can hang on the Christmas tree. Some say they are too hard to make, but really they only take a little more time than making regular cookies. You have to roll them out and use a cookie cutter. Kids love to make these. Included are sugar cookies and gingerbread cookies. Two Royal Icing recipes are also included; one with egg whites and one without if you are a little worried about serving something with uncooked eggs.

Cut out Sugar Cookies

Your kids will always remember when you baked these cookies at home during the holidays/

• 3 cups flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon cream of tartar
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• 1 – ½ sticks butter, softened
• ¾ cup vegetable shortening
• 1 cup sugar
• 2 eggs, beaten
• 3 tablespoons milk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
2. In a bowl combine flour, soda, cream of tartar and salt. Set aside.
3. In a mixing bowl combine butter and shortening.
4. Add sugar and cream well.
5. Add eggs, milk and vanilla.
6. Gradually add dry ingredients and combine well.
7. Form dough into a ball and cover with plastic wrap. Place in refrigerator for at least 2 hours before rolling out.
8. Roll out to 1/4 inch thick and cut with cookie cutters.
9. Place on cookie sheets that have been sprayed with a non stick spray about 2 inches apart and bake 8 to 10 minutes.
10. Let sit on cookie sheet 5 minutes before removing to cooling racks.

Gingerbread People Cut Out Cookies

This is a tradition in many homes and if it isn’t maybe you should start one.

• ½ cup butter, softened
• ½ cup brown sugar, packed
• ½ cup dark molasses
• 1 egg
• 3 cups flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• ½ teaspoon ground ginger
• ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
• ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 1 tablespoon cold water

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. In a mixing bowl cream butter and brown sugar.
3. Pour in molasses and beat well.
4. Add egg. In another bowl sift together flour, baking soda, spices, and salt. Add half to creamed mixture then add ½ tablespoon water. Then add the other half of dry ingredients and other ½ tablespoon water.
5. Form into a ball and wrap in plastic wrap.
6. Place in refrigerator at least 1 hour.
7. Roll out dough on well floured surface to ¼ inch thickness.
8. Cut with cookie cutters and place on cookie sheets that have been sprayed with a non stick spray about 2 inches apart.
9. Bake 9 to 11 minutes or until edges are firm.
10. Let sit on sheets 5 minutes and remove to wire racks. Cool completely.

Old Fashion Royal Icing

This recipe uses egg whites and as long as you use pasteurized eggs there should be no chance of food poisoning. But if you are not comfortable using eggs follow the royal icing meringe powder recipe that follows.

• 3 egg whites
• 1 pound Confectioner’s sugar
• ½ teaspoon cream of tartar
• ½ teaspoon almond extract

Directions:

1. Place all ingredients in a mixing bowl and beat on high for 10 minutes. Icing will become thick and glossy.
2. Remove small portions and tint with food coloring. This icing will become hard quickly so keep it covered and use only small portions while icing cookies.

Royal Icing – Meringe Powder

This uses meringue powder which can be found anywhere they sell baking supplies. You can't get food poisoning from this but please beware. If you are allergic to eggs, this is still an egg product.

• 2 cups Confectioner’s Sugar
• 1 – ½ tablespoons meringue powder
• 3 tablespoons warm water

Directions:

1. In a mixing bowl beat sugar, meringue powder and warm water until stiff peaks form about 5 to 7 minutes. If icing is too thick add a couple drops of water.
2. Tint with food coloring.

You can use either of the icings in a piping bag to pipe onto the cookies or spread with a butter knife or icing spreader. If you wish to add raisins for eyes or hard coated candies for noses or other items just place a small dollop of royal icing on the area and place the raisin or candy over top and press lightly. It will stick. Shaved coconut can also be placed on top of royal icing before it hardens to give a feathery effect.

Your kids will love decorating these cookies. Make sure to place a hole in the top of the cookie before you bake it then string ribbon or wire through it so you can hang these treats on the tree. Don’t keep them on too long because they will start to get stale after a few days especially if you have humidity in your area. You can cover with plastic wrap and string wire through the whole thing if you want to keep them fresh.

See other holiday recipes at 2008 Prymethyme Christmas

Cut out cookies

Print Article

View All Articles

How to subscribe to feeds