Butter Christmas Cookies!

Hi everyone! True confession time... I LOVE kitchen toys! Oh yea, and Williams-Sonoma has some mighty fine toys! I just had to give the "Message" cookie cutters a try.

So the search for the perfect cookie dough is on! 

Believe it or not, I don't care for the one that came with the cutters.

Today I used a recipe from King Arthur Flour, I highly recommend this butter cookie dough
for any cut out cookies! 

My thoughts, tips and mistakes:

• Even though this goes against everything I read, after mixing I like to place the dough on parchment paper, cover it with wax paper and roll it to about 1/4" thick. 
• I didn't chill it. 
• Remove the wax paper, then I use the cookie cutter, just press lightly for the words. 
• Remove the excess dough from the parchment, use a toothpick to get to the tight spots.
• Slide parchment onto a cookie sheet and you're good to go!
• Now, had I chilled the dough after I cut it out, maybe it wouldn't have puffed at all and the words would be clearer... something to try!
• Add your food coloring during the creaming stage. The brown spots you see were a poor attempt at adding some brown to a very stiff dough!

 

• This is what happened when I tried to use chilled dough... (note the toothpick "tool" again).

"To Santa, From Earl"... looks like someone's doing a little kissing up:@)

I am truly in awe of all of you amazing cookie decorators out there! *sigh*

Happy baking everyone!

PS-If my friend Kathleen is reading this, in the spirit of the season, please don't tell me what these were marked down to at the outlet!:@)

Holiday Butter Cookies- King Arthur Flour
1 1/4 C confectioners' sugar
1 C + 2 tblsp salted butter, room temp
1 large egg yolk
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp vanilla extract (or any flavor you want)
2 3/4 C unbleached AP flour

1. Combine sugar, butter, yolk, salt and flavor, beat till smooth.
2. Add flour, mixing till smooth. The mixture will seem dry at first, but will suddenly become cohesive. If it doesn't dribble in a tblsp of water.
3. Divide dough in half, shape into flattened disk, wrap in plastic and refrigerate for 2 hours or overnight.
4. Remove from fridge, let soften for 20-30 minutes, should feel soft enough to roll, cold but not rock hard.
5. Sprinkle your rolling surface with flour, flour your rolling pin. Working with one piece at a time roll to 1/8" to 3/16" thick.
6. Cut with cookie cutter. Re-roll the scraps.
7. Place on ungreased or parchment lined baking sheets. They can be close together, they'll barely spread. (They do puff a bit though.)
8. Bake 350 degrees for 12-14 minutes, until set and barely browned around edges. (mine took 10 mins)
9. Remove from oven, cool on pan or move parchment to cooling rack.

Decorate with Royal icing after cool, or if you make regular cut out cookies decorate as you would before baking.