Painted Cutout Cookies

By akselden

Ingredients

• 1 cup butter or margarine
• 1 1/2 cups sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• l teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• Paintbrush Icing (recipe follows)

Preparation

Step 1

1. In a medium saucepan, melt butter or margarine. Stir in sugar. Remove from heat. Cool for 15 minutes.
2. With a spoon, beat in eggs and vanilla. Place in a large mixing bowl. Stir in flour, baking powder, salt and nutmeg. Cover surface with clear plastic wrap. Chill for several hours or till easy to handle.
3. Roll half of dough to 1/8- to 1/4-inch thickness on a floured surface. Cut into Christmas shapes with cookie cutters. Place on an ungreased cookie sheet. Bake in a 375°F oven for about 6 to 8 minutes or till edges are very lightly browned. Cool cookies on wire rack.
4. Repeat with remaining dough. Frost with Paintbrush Icing. Makes about 60 (3-inch) cookies. Paintbrush Icing: In a medium mixing bowl, combine 4 cups sifted powdered sugar and 3 tablespoons meringue powder. * Beating with an electric mixer at low speed, gradually add 1/3 cup water. Beat on high speed for 2 to 3 minutes or till icing becomes thick. Beat in 1/4 teaspoon lemon extract. Divide icing into smaller portions for different colors. Tint icing with paste or liquid food coloring. (Keep icings covered with plastic wrap to prevent drying out.) Thin colored icings with additional water till the consistency of thick syrup. Spoon a small amount of icing onto a cookie to be decorated. Spread icing with a metal spatula or use clean artists' paintbrushes
to paint it onto the cookies. (Barb and Judy spend 15 to 20 minutes painting each cookie.)
*Note: Look for meringue powder for the frosting at stores selling cake-decorating and crafts supplies.