| 1/3 cup shortening 1/3 cup butter or margarine 3/4 cup granulated sugar 1 teaspoon baking powder Dash salt 1 egg 1 tablespoon milk 1 teaspoon vanilla 2 cups all-purpose flour 4 cups sifted powdered sugar 1 teaspoon vanilla 3 to 4 tablespoons milk Miniature semisweet chocolate pieces, small red cinnamon candies, coconut, decorative candies |
In a large mixing bowl beat shortening
and butter or margarine with
an electric mixer on medium to high
speed for 30 seconds. Add
granulated sugar, baking powder,
and salt. Beat until combined.
Beat in egg, 1 tablespoon milk,
and 1 teaspoon vanilla. Beat in
as much of the flour as you
can with the mixer. Stir in remaining flour
with a wooden spoon.
Divide dough in half.
Cover and refrigerate about 3 hours
or until chilled dough is easy to handle.
Roll half of the dough at a time
1/8 inch thick on a lightly floured surface.
Cut dough into diamond shapes
(2-1/2 to 3-1/2 inches across);
bend the top point of each diamond
to the side to make Santa's hat. (Or,
use Santa cookie cutters.)
Place 1 inch apart
on ungreased cookie sheets.
Bake in a 375° F oven for
7 to 8 minutes or until the bottoms
are lightly browned. Cool
on cookie sheets for 1 minute.
Remove cookies to wire racks;
cool completely.
For icing, stir together the sifted powdered sugar, 1 teaspoon vanilla, and enough milk (about 3 to 4 tablespoons) to make icing of drizzling consistency. Divide in half. Tint one half with drops of red food coloring.
Dip top third of each cookie into
red-tinted powdered sugar icing
for Santa's hat; place cookies on a
wire rack and sprinkle a bit of
coconut on edge of hat for fur trim
and at the tip for a pompom. Dip
bottom third of each cookie
into white powdered sugar
icing for Santa's beard, and return
cookiesto wire rack; sprinkle beard
with coconut and allow icing to dry slightly.
Place a cinnamon candy in center for a nose
and two miniature semisweet chocolate
pieces for eyes. Let dry completely.
Makes about 42 cookies
