Spice-Cookie Cutouts

Cooking Instructions

Beat butter and sugar in a large bowl with mixer on high speed until pale and fluffy. Beat in egg, vanilla, spices and salt. On low, beat in flour until just blended.

Shape dough into three 1-in.-thick disks. Wrap each and chill 1 hour or until firm.

Heat oven to 375°F.

On floured surface, with floured rolling pin, roll out 1 disk at a time (keep rest refrigerated) to 1⁄4 in. thick. Cut out desired shapes with floured cookie cutters. Place 1 in. apart on ungreased baking sheet(s). Reroll scraps.

Bake 10 to 12 minutes until bottoms and edges are just brown. Cool on sheet on a wire rack 3 minutes before removing to rack to cool completely.

To ice and decorate mittens: Divide Decorating Icing among 3 bowls. Stir red color into 1 bowl, green into another; leave remaining icing white. Set aside some of each for piping; cover with plastic wrap. To thin icing for coating: Add drops of water until thin enough to spread without dripping. Cover.

To pipe before coating (to keep thinned icing from flowing off cookie): Spoon unthinned icing into ziptop bags. Cut tip off a corner; pipe outlines on cookies. Let dry.

To coat (if using more than one color, let first dry): Dip a brush into thinned icing. Spread to piped border. Let set 3 hours.

To pipe after coating: Pipe details. Let dry at least 6 hours before storing.

For pulled effect (such as holly leaves and designs on mittens): Pipe lines or dots on iced cookies before thinned icing dries. Draw a toothpick across the lines, wiping the toothpick between each stroke.

Snowflakes: Pipe white designs; let dry. Sprinkle with sugar; gently shake off excess.

DECORATING ICING In a large bowl, with mixer on low speed, beat 1 lb confectioners’ sugar (33⁄4 cups) and 3 Tbsp Just Whites (powdered egg whites, see Note) until combined. Add 6 Tbsp water; beat until blended. Increase mixer speed to high and beat 8 minutes or until icing is very thick and white. Makes 21⁄2 cups.

Note: Find Just Whites and paste food colors in the baking section of your supermarket or in stores selling cake-decorating supplies.