Cut-Out Cookies

This is a vintage recipe and it’s delicious. My grandmother told me it was her home-economics teacher’s recipe and we have adopted it as our family recipe. I have so many memories of making these cookies with my mom and grandmother over the years and I cherish those memories so much.

INGREDIENTS:

Cookies:

½ cup unsalted butter, room temperature

⅓ cup shortening

1 cup sugar

2 large eggs

1 ½ tsp vanilla extract

3 cups all-purpose flour

1 ½ tsp double acting baking powder

½ tsp table salt

Icing:

3 egg whites

½ tsp cream of tarter

1 16oz package of powdered sugar

food coloring

INSTRUCTIONS:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Cream butter, shortening, and sugar with an electric or hand mixer until light and fluffy.  

Beat in eggs 1 at a time.

Add vanilla extract.

In another bowl, whisk flour, baking powder and salt.

With the mixer on low, add flour mixture in a couple large spoonfuls at a time until it is all added.

Wrap dough in wax paper and chill for 3 hours in the fridge.  (I have also chilled dough in the freezer for a shorter period of time when needed).

After chilled, roll out dough, and cut with cookie cutters.

Place on cookie sheets with silicon baking mats (to keep the cookies from spreading during baking).

Bake 9-10 minutes.

Cool completely.

INSTRUCTIONS FOR ICING:

Beat egg whites and cream of tarter until frothy. 

Gradually add powdered sugar and continue beating until smooth.

Divide into bowls and stir in food coloring.

To store icing, place in storage container and place plastic wrap on top of icing pressing down so the plastic wrap is flush and close with airtight lid.  Icing can be stored in the fridge for up to 2 weeks.  RIGHT before icing remove lid and plastic wrap; stir until the consistency is smooth.