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My Favourite Christmas Cookies

Ree Drummond's Favourite Christmas Cookies
Prep Time
20 min
Cook Time
15 min
Yields
2 - 3 dozen

Ree Drummond’s classic Christmas cookies are good for the holidays or year-round. They are a good recipe to make with your kids, who can help measure and then stamp out the cookies, and you can decorate them the easy way with a simple coloured egg wash, or you can get fancier with icing and sprinkles.

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ingredients

Cookies

cup vegetable shortening
¾
cup granulated sugar
½
tsp grated orange or lemon zest
½
tsp pure vanilla extract
1
large egg
4
tsp milk
2
cups all-purpose flour, plus extra for rolling out dough
1 ½
tsp baking powder
¼
tsp fine salt

Egg Yolk Glaze and Icing

1
large egg yolk
2
- 3 drops food colouring
1
bag (2-lb.) powdered sugar
¼
cup milk
2
tbsp pasteurized egg whites
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directions

Step 1

Using a stand mixer, cream the shortening, granulated sugar, orange peel and vanilla thoroughly, about 2 minutes. Add in the egg and beat until light and fluffy, about 1 more minute. Add in the milk and mix.

Step 2

Sift the flour, baking powder and salt together, and then blend into the cream mixture. Divide the dough in half (thirds if you double your recipe), slightly flatten between 2 sheets of waxed paper and refrigerate for 1 hour (or freeze for 20 minutes).

Step 3

Roll out the dough ¼-inch thick on a lightly floured surface and cut into shapes with a cookie cutter. Transfer the shapes to lightly greased cookie sheets and chill until firm, about 30 minutes.

Step 4

For the egg yolk glaze: Preheat the oven to 375ºF. While the dough is chilling, combine the egg yolk, 1 teaspoon water and food colouring. Paint the cookies (with a soft brush) with the egg yolk glaze.

Step 5

Bake the cookies for 6 to 7 minutes. Do not allow the cookies to brown. The cookies will be slightly puffed and the glaze will look crackled. Bake in 2 batches if you don’t reroll the scraps.

Step 6

For the decorative white icing: While the cookies are baking, mix the powdered sugar, milk and egg whites. Make sure that it is thick and somewhat retains its shape.

Step 7

Remove the cookies from the oven to a wire rack to cool completely, about 30 minutes.

Step 8

Then, using a pastry bag or zip-top bag, pipe the cookies with the white icing to decorate.

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