Sugar Cookies and Icing

Redbook Cookbook Sugar Cookie Cutouts

3 cups sifted all-purpose flour
1 cup sugar
1-1/2 teaspoons baking powder
½-teaspoon salt
1 cup softened butter or margarine
1 egg, slightly beaten
3 tablespoons light cream
1-1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Heat oven to 400. Sift together flour, sugar, baking powder and salt into a large bowl. Add butter and cut into flour mixture with an electric mixer or a pastry blender until particles are fine. Add egg, cream and vanilla; blend thoroughly. If desired, chill dough for easer handling. Place 1/3 of the dough on a well-floured board. Place a sheet of floured waxed paper over dough and roll with a rolling pin to a thickness of 1/8 inch. Remove waxed paper. Cut into desired shapes with cookie cutters. Repeat with rest of dough. Place 2 inches apart on ungreased cookie sheets. Bake 5 to 8 minutes, or until lightly browned at edges. Cool on wire racks. When cookies are cool, they may be frosted with a simple icing and decorated as desired. Makes about 6 to 7 dozen cookies.

Icing

Original icing recipe makes 1 dozen cookies' worth

·      
1 cup confectioners' sugar

·      
2 teaspoons milk

·      
2 teaspoons light corn syrup

·      
1/4 teaspoon almond extract

·      assorted food coloring

Directions

1.             In a small bowl, stir together confectioners' sugar and milk until smooth. Beat in corn syrup and almond extract until icing is smooth and glossy. If icing is too thick, add more corn syrup.

2.             Divide into separate bowls, and add food colorings to each to desired intensity. Dip cookies, or paint them with a brush.