Christmas Sugar Cookies

Cooking With Rania - "Christmas Cookies"
KDKA Pittsburgh Today Live 12/01/2010

Get The Recipe—Rania’s recipe is available below. You can also download, view or print Rania’s recipe by clicking on the following "Get Recipe" button. (may require Adobe Reader to view recipe*).

See it Prepared—You can watch Rania prepare this recipe. Click on the "See it Prepared" button to go to our "Show Products" page for this date. We provide video links to the KDKA Pittsburgh Today Live segments where this recipe was prepared.

*get free Adobe Reader

Christmas Sugar Cookies

INGREDIENTS

Cookies:
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
1 cup sugar
2 large egg yolks, at room temperature
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Icing:
1 cup plus 4 tablespoons confectioners’ sugar
1/2 cup heavy cream
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
Few drops green and red food coloring (if desired)

White decorating sugar
Green and Red decorating sugar

DIRECTIONS

To Make the Cookies:
In a small bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside. In a large bowl, cream the butter and sugar until smooth, about 2 minutes. Add the egg yolks and vanilla and beat well. Add the dry ingredients, in three parts, and mix until just combined. Shape the dough into three flat disks, wrap each disk tightly with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for 30 minutes. Working with one disk at a time, roll out the dough on a lightly floured surface to 1/4-inch thickness. Using various holiday cookie cutters, cut out the cookies and place on baking sheets lined with parchment, spacing them 2 inches apart. Place the baking sheets in the refrigerator and chill for an additional 15 minutes. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
Remove the cookies from the refrigerator and place in the oven. Bake for 9 to 11 minutes, until lightly golden around the edges. Cool the cookies on the sheets for 5 minutes, then remove to a wire rack to cool completely.
To Make the Icing:
In the top of a double boiler, over simmering water, combine all of the ingredients. Stir for 2 to 3 minutes until smooth. Tint with food coloring, if desired. Remove from the heat, transfer to a glass measuring cup, and allow to cool to lukewarm before using.
To Ice the Cookies:
Spread a light coating of icing on each cookie and then sprinkle the decorating sugar over the icing. (Let the icing set for a few hours before stacking the cookies.)
If no food coloring is used, decorate the cookies with the white decorating sugar. If red and green food coloring is used, decorate the cookies with the coordinating sugar.
Yield: Approximately 3 dozen cookies