Molding Dough

By Hklbrries

My Mother, Jeannette Costigan, used to make all kinds of cute Christmas cookies out of this molding dough.


Butter crescents and jam thumbprints both called for 1 teaspoon dough. This may be an error but is what was called for in the original instructions.

Ingredients

• 1 (3 ounce) package cream cheese, completely softened
• 1/2 cup butter or margarine, completely softened
• 1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 tsp vanilla (or almond, rum or peppermint flavoring)
• 1 2/3 cups all-purpose flour

Details

Servings 2

Preparation

Step 1

Combine cream cheese, butter or margarine, brown sugar, salt and flavoring in large bowl. Stir by hand until well blended. Add flour to cream cheese mixture, stirring by hand until dough forms a ball.

Knead in bowl or on floured surface, 1 to 2 minutes, adding additional flour until smooth, pliable, and not sticky. (Dough is easier to shape the more it is handled).

Shape on ungreased cookie sheets following suggested ideas.

Bake at 350 F until edges are light brown. Thin shapes should be baked for 10 to 15 minutes, and thick shapes should be baked for 15 to 22 minutes.

Cool 5 minutes; remove from cookie sheets. Store cooled cookies and unfilled tarts loosely covered. Refrigerate leftover dough up to 2 weeks; return to room temperature befor using again.

*********************************************
Shaping-Decorating Variations:

Decorate unbaked cut-outs or original shapes with pieces of dough, moistening dough with water before attaching pieces. Make "hair" by pushing dough through garlic press. All unbaked shapes may be decorated with any of the following (always press firmly into dough): chocolate pieces, chocolate sprinkles, nuts, raisins, cinnamon candies or colored sugars.

Decorate baked cookies with decorator icing or ready-to-spread frosting (spread frosting on cookies easily with small paint brush).

To hang cookies: Use the end of a soda straw, cutting out small hole near top of unbaked cookie. After baking and cooling, insert ribbon or string through hole to hang.

To make colored dough: Add 3/4 to 1 tsp food coloring to cream cheese mixture before adding flour. For 2 color cookies, make one recipe each of plain and colored dough.

Gingerbread dough: Eliminate flavoring; add 1 tsp molasses, 1/4 tsp cinnamon, 1/8 tsp ground cloves and 1/8 tsp ground ginger.

Cut-Out Cookies: Roll or press dough out to a 1/4-inch thickness. Cut dough with cookie cutters or your own cardboard patterns may be used. If so, draw desired pattern onto heavy cardboard; cut out, place on dough, and cut around edge with tip of knife. Bake 10 to 15 minutes.

Angels: Cut dough into 2 1/2-inch rounds. Cut a triangle from both sides of cookie. Invert triangles to form "wings." Press firmly to seal.

Christmas trees: Cut dough into 2 1/2-inch rounds. Cut off 2 sides of circle to form triangle shape. Cut curved pieces into 1/8-inch strips and criss-cross over tree. Use a short piece for trunk. Press firmly to seal.

Reindeer: Cut dough into 2 1/2-inch rounds. Cut off 2 sides of circle to form triangle shape (the larger circle will be triangular shaped with a round edge). Place the 2 curved pieces on either side of the wide end of triangle for "antlers." Press firmly to seal. (Slash curved pieces and spread to form "antlers.")

*********************************************
Hand-Molded cookies:

Christmas stockings: Shape 2 tbsp dough into 1/2-inch thick stocking. Print names or initials in dough with toothpick. Make patterns in dough using bottle caps, pastry wheel, spoon, can opener, etc. Bake 12 to 18 minutes.

Jack Horner pies: Shape 1 heaping tbsp dough into thin circle on cookie sheet; place 1 tbsp prepared pie filling or jam on center of circle. Top with another circle of dough; press edges with fingers or fork to seal. Print names or initials into top of pie with toothpick. Sprinkle with sugar. Bake 12 to 18 minutes.

Letters: Shape dough into 1/2-inch thick ropes; form into letters; press pieces firmly together. Bake 12 to 18 minutes.

Partridges: Shape 2 tbsp dough into a 1/2-inch thick partridge; insert a whole clove or cinnamon candy for eye; prick with fork to make speckled breast. Bake 12 to 18 minutes.

Pears: Shape 2 tbsp dough into a 1/2-inch thick pear; insert a whole clove into each end for the stem and blossom. Bake 12 to 18 minutes.

Turtle: For body, fill a tbsp with dough; level off with spatula and invert onto cookie sheet. For head, firmly press a small ball of dough into one end of the body. For feet, firmly press pecan halves into the body. Bake 12 to 18 minutes.

*********************************************
Holiday Favorites:

Tarts: Press dough into metal tart pans or over bottoms of muffin cups to form a thin shell. Bake 10 to 15 minutes; cool thoroughly. Just before serving, fill shells with pudding or prepared pie filling. Top with whipped cream and, if desired, a maraschino cherry or chopped nuts. Refrigerate.

Butter crescents: Use butter when making basic dough. Shape 1 heaping tsp dough into crescent; place on ungreased cookie sheet. Bake 12 to 18 minutes; cool 5 minutes. Roll cookies in powdered sugar.

Jam thumbprints: Shape 1 heaping tsp dough into ball; dip into slightly beaten egg white, then into chopped pecans. Place on ungreased cookie sheet. Press deep hole in center of each cookie with thumb or finger; fill with 1/2 tsp jam. Bake 12 to 18 minutes.

Sugarplums: Flatten out 1 tbsp dough; wrap around a date, candied fruit piece, pecan, chocolate-covered peanut or 1/2 tsp raisins. Seal securely. Place on ungreased cookie sheet. Bake 12 to 18 minutes. Top with a swirl of ready-to-spread frosting or decorator icing.