COOKIE CUTOUTS RECIPES

If your Christmas season gets so hectic that you only have time to bake one batch of cookies, we suggest that this be the one you make. This is the kind of sugar cookie that generations of bakers have relied on, with a buttery texture and just-right tenderness. The accompanying glaze requires just three ingredients and is a standby that you can just as easily rely on when you need a glaze on other cookie varieties. It sets up nicely and is ideal for decorating, tinting well and spreading easily. The process of making sugar cookie cutouts is as essential to the holidays as opening gifts and singing Christmas songs, and if you can clear some time out on your schedule, it’s a relaxing activity, too. Pull out all your favorite cookie cutters, whether they’re classic hearts and stars or cute winter characters like reindeer and penguins, and bake up a batch—this recipe yields 60 cookies. When it’s time to decorate, you have a blank canvas to indulge your style and creativity. Some bakers like to go all in on color and whimsy, while others prefer more simple and elegant finishing flourishes—it’s all up to you. What we can promise is that no matter what shapes you cut them into or how you decorate them, you’ll end up with cookies that are as delicious as they are beautiful.

Provided by Betty Crocker Kitchens

Total Time 4 hours 10 minutes

Prep Time 1 hours 0 minutes

Yield 60

Number Of Ingredients 12

• Ingredients

Nutrition Facts : Calories 65 , CarbohydrateContent 9 g, CholesterolContent 10 mg, FatContent 1/2 , FiberContent 0 g, ProteinContent 1 g, SaturatedFatContent 2 g, ServingSize 1 Cookie, SodiumContent 40 mg

This recipe is a classic that came out of the Betty Crocker Test Kitchens a while ago, but in our book, a recipe that stands the test of time is the only kind worth having! We recently baked up a batch of these cookies to give them a refreshed recipe image, and we can attest that these are an exceptionally fun option for bakers who want to make something that’s achievable but still stretches their skills. The base for these cookies is delightfully short and treads the perfect line between being tender and having a satisfying little snap. Once they’re out of the oven and cooled, the real fun begins. First they get brushed with a thin icing that forms a lovely, smooth canvas for decorating. Once that’s set, creativity takes center stage, and you can test your hand at decorating with royal icing and all the sprinkles, sugars and nonpareils you can find in your pantry. The editor who took on the task of decorating these was intimidated at first, having a complicated history with royal icing, but found the recipe included below easy to work with to create beautiful cookies. Set aside some time to devote to making these cookies when the Christmas spirit really sets in—we promise they’ll bring you the comfort and joy of the season!

Provided by Betty Crocker Kitchens

Total Time 3 hours 30 minutes

Prep Time 1 hours 30 minutes

Yield 32

Number Of Ingredients 14

• Ingredients

Nutrition Facts : Calories 150 , CarbohydrateContent 25 g, CholesterolContent 20 mg, FatContent 1 , FiberContent 0 g, ProteinContent 2 g, SaturatedFatContent 3 g, ServingSize 1 Cookie (With Icing Only), SodiumContent 100 mg, SugarContent 16 g, TransFatContent 0 g