Classic Holiday Cut-Out Cookies
| Submitted by: Sarah Patton, Lead User Services Librarian, University Libraries |
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These have been a holiday staple since I was a child and, acknowledging it’s my nostalgia bias speaking, I do believe these are the best cut-out cookies around – even rivaling the famed UB cut-outs. Sweet, but not cloyingly so, my favorite way to enjoy them is uniced with a cup of coffee on a cozy, snowy night.
| Servings: 32 | Cultural Connection: American |
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Cookies:
3 ½ cups all-purpose flour
1 cup butter, softened
¾ cup sugar
½ cup light corn syrup
1 tbsp lemon juice
¼ tsp salt
2 large eggs
Icing:
4 cups confectioner’s sugar
⅓ cup warm water
3 tbsp meringue powder
Instructions
- Cookies:
- Mix flour, butter, sugar, corn syrup, lemon juice, salt, and eggs at low speed until well blended, occasionally scraping down the sides of the bowl.
- Wrap dough and refrigerate 2 hours (or freeze for 40 minutes). Dough should be firm enough to handle before making cutouts.
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. On a well-floured surface, roll one quarter of the dough to 1/8” thickness, keeping the remaining dough refrigerated.
- With floured cookie cutters, cut dough into desired shapes then transfer them to an ungreased baking sheet, about ½” apart.
- Bake cookies 5-7 minutes, until the edges and underside are barely golden brown. Do not overbake!
- Icing:
- Mix confectioner’s sugar, warm water, and meringue powder at low speed until incorporated. Increase speed to high and beat mixture until stiff.
- Divide frosting into small bowls and tint as desired with food coloring.
- Keep bowls covered to prevent frosting from drying out.
