Santa Cookies

By Hklbrries

Cut in heart, moon, and star shapes, Santa Cookies decorated with colorful frosting and bits of licorice will delight young and old alike.

Hearts: Turned upside down, with heart point being Santa's hat. Makes a Santa head and part of a Santa body.

Star: Use the star to make a full-bodied Santa with two of the star points his legs and two his arms. (Head and hat one point of the star, hands and feet the others). Frost with red icing, leaving feet bare and piping white frosting to make cuffs, beard, etc.

Moon: Sideways view of Santa - long red hat, small face, long white beard.

Ingredients

• Cookies:
• 1/2 cup butter or margarine, softened
• 1/2 cup shortening
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
• 3 eggs
• 3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 tsp cream of tartar
• Icing:
• 3 cups confectioners' sugar
• 1/4 cup butter or margarine, softened
• 1/4 cup milk
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• Red food coloring
• Small pieces of black licorice for decoration

Preparation

Step 1

In a large mixing bowl, cream butter, shortening, sugar and vanilla. Beat in eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Stir in flour and cream of tartar.

Wrap dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 2 hours.

Preheat oven to 425 F. On a lightly floured surface, use a floured rolling pin to roll out dough to 1/8-inch thickness. Cut out dough using star-, moon-, or heart-shaped cookie cutters. Transfer cookies to lightly greased baking sheets and bake 6 to 8 minutes or until lightly browned around edges. Remove from pans and cool on wire racks.

Combine all icing ingredients except food coloring in a medium mixing bowl, blending until smooth. Divide icing in half and add red food coloring to half of icing. Ice cookies with red icing to make Santa clothes, hats, etc. Use a pastry bag fitted with a small round tip and filled with white icing to pipe beards and trim.