Clara's Christmas Cookies

Revised: December 13, 1990

First: The Cookies

1 cup Sugar
1 cup Butter Flavor Crisco
1 ea Egg
2 tsp Vanilla (real preferred)
3 1/2 to 4 cups Flour
2 tsp Baking Powder
1/2 cup Milk
¼ tsp Salt

Mix as you would other cookies:
Cream the shortening with the sugar; add the egg and vanilla.
In a separate bowl, mix 3½ cups of flour with the baking powder and salt.
Add the flour and milk to the egg mixture one third at a time, alternating between the flour mixture and the milk. Stir after each addition.
Add the remaining ½ cup of flour only if needed to make the dough manageable.
Roll out about 3/8 inch thick and cut into desired shapes.
Bake at about 350ºF for 8 to 10 minutes. Be very careful when baking: bake only until the barest hint of brown. Brown edges mean these cookies are overcooked.
Frost and decorate.
Makes about 2½ dozen cookies. This recipe can be doubled.


Then: The Frosting

Sorry, this is an approximation; I never measure...
3 to 4 cups Powdered Sugar
1 stick Butter
1 tsp Vanilla (real preferred or almond or other flavoring)
1/8 to ¼ cup Milk
Several drops (Optional) Red or Green Food Coloring

First, mix powdered sugar with softened butter using a fork or beater.
Add vanilla (and food coloring if desired). I usually put almond flavoring in one of the colors of frosting.
Then, slowly add milk, a little at a time.
Mix the pwdered sugar butter and milk mixture very stiff at first to get out the lumps.
Then thin to easily spreadable consistency.
Sprinkle with decorations if desired, soon after the cookie is frosted. Otherwise decorations tend to roll off the cookies since the frosting surface dries very quickly.