Sugar Cookie Cut-outs

Total Time: 36 mins Preparation Time: 30 mins Cook Time: 6 mins

Ingredients

• 1 cup butter or 1 cup margarine, softened
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 large egg
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 3 cups flour
• cocoa powder (optional)
• decorating gel (optional)
• colored crystal sugar (optional)

Recipe

• 1 preheat oven to 400°f.
• 2 in a large bowl, cream butter and sugar with an electric mixer.
• 3 beat in the egg and vanilla.
• 4 in another bowl, mix together the flour and baking powder.
• 5 add the flour/baking powder mixture one cup at a time, mixing after each addition. (the dough will be very stiff; blend the last flour in by hand.).
• 6 do not chill the dough.
• 7 divide dough into 2 balls.
• 8 on a floured surface, roll each ball into a circle approximately 12 inches in diameter and 1/8 inch thick.
• 9 cut cookies into desired shapes, dipping cookie cutters in flour before each use.
• 10 decorate with gel and crystal sprinkle decorations, if desired.
• 11 bake on ungreased baking sheet on middle rack of oven for 6 to 10 minutes, or until cookies are lightly browned.
• 12 cool 2 to 3 minutes before removing and cooling on a baking grid/cooling rack.
• 13 you can sprinkle cocoa powder on the cookies if desired (looks good if you're making reindeer shaped cookies).
• 14 cookies may be frozen in a tightly sealed container for up to 2 months.