Gramma's Cutout Cookie Recipe

IN A MIXING BOWL COMBINE:
4 Cups Flour
1 Teaspoon Salt
1 Cup Shortening -- cut-in until fine COMBINE IN SEPARATE BOWL:
1 Cup Sugar
2 Eggs

IN SEPARATE CUP COMBINE:
1 Teaspoon Clear Vanilla (found in our store)
1 Teaspoon Soda
1/4 Cup Milk for Crunchy Cookies (or for soft cookies - 2/3 Cup Milk)
1/2 Teaspoon Clear Almond Flavoring (found in our store) *optional

Make well in the flour mixture and slowly add everything to it, mixing thoroughly. On floured surface with flour coated rolling pin, roll dough out to 1/4 to 3/8 inch thickness. With floured cutter, place cutter on dough and press down firmly with fingers all around edges to make sure the entire edge is cut. (Helpful hint - very lightly sift flour on top of rolled out dough. This helps reduce the number of times cutter has to be floured). With spatula, lift cutter and dough. With thumb, rub cutting edge clean of dough and gently press dough into cookie cutter, being careful not to press dough to thin inside the cutter. Tap cutter down on table, cookie sheet or in your hand and dough will come right out. Flour cutter before cutting next cookie and repeat process. Refrigerate for cookies for one hour to overnight before baking at 350º oven for 8-10 minutes (do not use an airbake baking sheet). Cool thoroughly before decorating.


ICING:
2 Lbs Confectionery Sugar
1/2 to 2/3 Cup Milk
1 Teaspoon Vanilla (found in our store)
1 Cup Shortening
1/2 Teaspoon Salt
1 Tablespoon Butter or 1/2 Teaspoon Butter Flavoring (found in our store) *optional
1/2 Teaspoon Almond Flavoring (found in our store) *optional

Mix by hand until all is blended. Then, with electric mixer, beat for five minutes at high speed .

Gramma's Cream Cheese Recipe

This recipe is to be used with Aunt Chick’s cookie cutters, pastry canvas and rolling pin sock makes 4-6 dozen white cookies.

Cream together:
2 cups unsalted butter, soft
6 oz. cream cheese (hard)
2 cups sugar2 large eggs, + 1 egg yolk
2 tspns. vanilla (found at www.grammascutters.com/categories.asp)
1 tspn. lemon oil (found at www.grammascutters.com/categories.asp)
2 tsp. lemon zest

Whisk :
6 cups flour (unsifted)
1.5 tsp. salt

Combine mixtures until evenChill: Separate dough into 3 balls, wrap in plastic and refrigerate 5 hours to 3 days (dough tends to stick in cutter unless very chilled) or freeze up to one month. (Thaw completely in the refrigerator)

Bake: 375 degree oven for 7 minutes on parchment paper on cookie sheet until barely tinged around the edges. Transfer sheets to wire racks until cookies firm up, then transfer cookies to wire racks to cool completely. Store in airtight container for 3 weeks or freeze for several months.Roll: out dough in powder sugar vs flour. Prep cutters once with non stick spray and frequently with powdered sugar or flour. (Tap out all excess powder in cutter to preserve detail.) Cutout cookies and refridgerate for an hour to overnight to help shape set (especially when using Aunt Chick's Cookie Cutters).

Allow: 3 hours to prepare dough, cut cutters and bake.

Decorate: with “Pastry paint” (see www.grammascutters.com for recipe) and sugars.

Gingerbread Cookie Recipe

Gramma's Gingerbread Cookie Recipe

½ cup shortening
½ cup sugar
½ cup dark molasses
¼ cup water
2 ½ cup flour
¾ tsp salt
½ tsp soda
¾ tsp ginger
¼ tsp nutmeg
1/8 tsp allspice

Cream shortening and sugar. Blend in molasses, water, flour, soda, salt, and spices. Cover. Chill for 2-3 hours. Heat oven to 375°. Roll dough to ¼” thick on a lightly floured board. Cut with Aunt Chick's Gingerbread Man Cookie Cutter. Place on ungreased baking sheet (do not use Airbake Cookie Sheet). Refridgerate cookie for an hour to over night and then bake for 10-12 minutes. Immediately remove from cookie sheet. Decorate with raisins, cherries, citron, licorice and icing.