CUT-OUT-COOKIES

CUT OUT COOKIES ~ Claudine's
2 c butter or margarine, softened
2 c confectioner's sugar
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla
4 c flour
Mix butter, confectioner's sugar, egg, vanilla. Cover and chill 2-3 hours. Heat oven to 350º. Roll out. Cut into desired shapes; sprinkle with granulated sugar if desired. Place on lightly greased baking sheet. Bake 10 - 12 min

CHOCOLATE CUT OUTS - Mary/marmac34
3/4 c margarine, softened
2 c sugar
3 egg
3 tsp vanilla
3 c flour
1 tsp baking powder
4 1 oz squares unsweetened chocolate - melted, or can use 1/2 c cocoa plus 1 1/2 T marg.
Mix together.
Cover and chill 2-3 hours.
Heat oven to 350º.
roll to 1/4 in. thick on lightly floured board.
add 3 T cocoa to 1 c flour when rolling cookies, to keep them from turning white. Cut into desired shapes Place on greased baking sheet. Bake 10 -12 minutes

OLD FASHION SUGAR COOKIES - Mary E.
5 cups flour
1 cup shortening
2 cups sugar
2 tsp baking powder (heaping)
1 tsp baking soda (level)
2 eggs (mix with 1/2 teaspoon salt and milk until it totals 8 ounces)
1/2 cup water with 1 level tsp of baking soda
add 2 teaspoons vanilla
Mix all ingredients together like pie dough. On well floured surface roll out dough. It will be a little sticky, but once you have the flour on the dough it will roll out easily. Roll out to 1/2 inch thick (no thinner). Use round cookie cutter, lightly spray cookie sheet. Bake at 375º for 10-15 minutes. Take from oven, sprinkle sugar on tops.

CREAM CHEESE COOKIES with jam filling) -Jan J.
2 sticks marg, softened
2 packages cream cheese
6 cups flour
your favorite jam
Combine butter, cream cheese and flour. Mix until crumbly. Then knead together until the dough is soft and make into a ball. Divide dough into four separate pieces. Roll out one of the divided pieces. Set aside the others in a covered bowl. Roll dough out to 1/4" thickness using a 2" biscuit cutter or a glass cutout. Fill each circle with a teaspoon of your favorite jam. Fold over two sides and pinch together in the middle. Bake on a cookie sheet for 10-15 min at 350º, or until lightly browned. Remove from the oven and cool. Sprinkle with powdered sugar and store in an air tight container. Repeat the above with the rest of your dough.

BASIC COOKIE DOUGH - Rita Rizzo
1 lb. margarine, softened
10 eggs
2 teaspoon vanilla
10 c flour
10 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
2 c sugar
1/2 c milk
Mix salt, baking powder, flour and margarine like pie dough. Beat together eggs, sugar, milk, vanilla, then add to flour mix. mix well, til dough isn't sticky. refrigerate over night.
GROUND FIG FILLING
2 lbs figs
1 box raisins
1 pkg dates
1 1/2 c chopped nuts
1/2 c sugar
1 tsp cinnamon
1 orange, ground
grind all ingredients together,
add a little warm water to make a smoother mix.
refrigerate 1 to 3 weeks before using
bake 375º 8-10 min.
can use this recipe for dough to make cut-out cookies also

SOUR CREAM SUGAR COOKIES - Joanne Starcher
5 cups flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
2/3 cup shortening
2 c sugar
2 egg
1 cup sour cream
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 tsp almond flavoring
 Directions  
Sift flour, baking soda, and salt. Cream butter with sugar, beat in egg, then stir in sour cream and vanilla. Stir in flour mixture. chill. Roll out. Cut out cookies with your favorite cookie cutters. Put on ungreased cookie sheet. Bake at 350º for 8-10 minutes.

SUGAR COOKIES - Joanne Starcher
5 cups flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 1/2  cup shortening
2 c sugar
4 eggs
2 teaspoon vanilla
Directions  
Sift flour, baking soda, and salt. Cream butter with sugar, beat in egg, add vanilla, Stir in flour mixture. chill. Roll out. Cut out cookies with your favorite cookie cutters. Bake at 350º for 8-10 minutes.

ROLLED MOLASSES COOKIES - Joanne Starcher
1 cup shortening
1 cup sugar
2 egg
1 c molasses
5 1/2 cups flour
2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoons ground cloves
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
2 teaspoons ground ginger
1/4 tsp nutmeg
Cream butter & sugar. Add eggs and molasses. Combine and mix dry ingredients, add this mixture slowly to cream base until all is mixed. roll out, cut in desired shapes. sprinkle with sugar before baking. Bake at 350º for 12 minutes, then cool on racks.

FROSTING FOR COOKIES
1 pound powdered sugar
2 egg whites (or 5 tablespoons meringue powder if available)
Combine powdered sugar and egg whites or meringue powder in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Set on low speed. Add 1/2 cup water drop by drop. For a thinner consistency, usually used as foundation, add more water. A thicker consistency is generally used for further embellishing. Beat until the mixture holds a ribbon-like trail on the surface for five seconds when you raise the paddle.  Makes 6 cups.