Holiday Sugar Cookies

Ingredients

• 3 cups all purpose flour
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup butter, softened to room temp
• 1 egg, slightly beaten
• 3 tablespoons whipping cream
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/3 cup Crisco or a 1/3 cup of softened butter
• 1 pound of confectioners sugar
• About 1/4 cup of milk
• 1 teaspoon of vanilla
• Jimmies
• Sprinkles
• Sugar Pearls
• Decorating Pens

Directions

1. Make the cookie dough: In a large bowl, whisk the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt with some energy so everything is evenly combined.
2. Add the softened butter, egg, whipping cream, and vanilla extract, then mix with a mixer until the dough comes together and the ingredients are fully blended.
3. Refrigerate the dough for several hours. To roll it out, pull off a portion about the size of an orange and press it into a flat disk in your palm. Dust it lightly with a flour and sugar blend made in a 2/1 ratio, using 4 Tbsp flour mixed with 2 Tbsp sugar.
4. Roll the dough with a rolling pin on a floured board or between sheets of wax paper. As you work, flour each side so the dough releases cleanly when you cut it. Roll it to about a 1/4-inch thickness.
5. Cut out your shapes with cookie cutters. If the dough becomes too soft after rolling, put it back in the refrigerator for 5 to 10 minutes, then continue.
6. Arrange the cutouts on a Silpat-lined or un-greased cookie sheet. Bake at 400 degrees F for 5-8 minutes.
7. Take the cookies out of the oven as soon as the bottoms begin to show color.
8. Cool the cookies completely. For the icing, beat the Crisco or butter, confectioners sugar, milk, and vanilla extract with a mixer until smooth.
9. If the icing feels too thick to spread nicely, mix in very small splashes of milk, beating thoroughly after each addition, until it reaches the consistency you like.
10. Divide the icing among separate bowls, then stir in food coloring to make the colors you want.
11. Decorate the cookies by spreading on icing with a butter knife or pastry brush, and use cake decorating piping equipment for details. To help sprinkle-style candies adhere, brush the cookie with clear Karo syrup before adding them.