Harrison and I were able to make and decorate Christmas cookies last Sunday afternoon. Never having done this before by myself, I ran strait to my mother for a recipe and cookie cutters. She gave me a great Wilton recipe for the cookies and icing that I would like to share. This dough is great because it requires NO chilling! The icing is also wonderful because it is so easy and it is egg free.

Click below for a printable copy

Roll Out Cookie Recipe

• 1 cup butter or margarine, softened
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 large egg
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 3 cups flour

Preheat oven to 400 deg. In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar with an electric mixer. Beat in egg and vanilla. Add baking powder and flour one cup at a time, mixing after each addition. The dough will be very stiff: blend the last flour in by hand. Do not chill dough. Divide dough into 2 balls. On a floured surface, roll out each ball in a circle approximately 12" in diameter and 1/8" thick. Dip cutters in flour before each use. Bake cookies on ungreased cookie sheet on top rack of oven for 6 to 7 min. or until cookies are lightly browned.

note: if the dough is too crumbly and doesn't stick together, you either have too much flour or the butter was not room temperature.

Egg Free Royal Icing

Makes about 2 cups

• 5 tablespoons meringue powder
• 1 one-pound box confectioners sugar (about 4 cups)
• 1/2 cup water

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat meringue powder and scant 1/2 cup water on low. Add confectioners sugar, scrape sides, and beat until soft peaks form, about 10 minutes. To add color I just separate icing into small bowls and mix in food coloring in a different color for each bowl.

Note: To thin icing for filling in shapes, or "flooding" add a little more water.