Butter Cookies

These cookies make great ornaments! Snowmen, candy canes, stars, moons, holly leaves, reindeer, lighthouses, bells and fir trees galore. These are just a few of the cookie cutters we used making these wonderfully rich cookies. Paint each cookie with confectioner's sugar glaze and decorate with different colored sugars or you may sprinkle sugar on cookies before they bake.What fun! This recipe from Land O' Lakes.

• Ready In: 23 mins
• Serves: 24

Ingredients

• 1 1⁄4 cups confectioners' sugar
• 1  cup butter, softened
• 1  large egg
• 1  teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 2 1⁄2 cups flour
• 1  teaspoon baking soda
•  decorator sugar, if desired

• Frosting Ingredients

• 2  cups confectioners' sugar
• 1⁄4 cup butter, softened
• 1  teaspoon vanilla
• 1 -2  tablespoon milk
•  food coloring, if desired

Directions

1. Combine 1 1/4 cups powdered sugar, 1 cup butter, egg and 1 tsp vanilla in large bowl.
2. Beat on low, scraping bowl often, until creamy.
3. Sift in flour and baking soda and beat until well mixed.
4. Divide dough in half.
5. Cover each half in plastic wrap.
6. Refrigerate until firm (at least 2 hours).
7. Preheat oven to 375°F Roll out 1/2 the dough on lightly floured surface (I use 1/2 flour 1/2 confectioners sugar).
8. Keep remaining dough chilled.
9. Roll dough out to 1/8 to 1/4-inch thickness.
10. Cut with 4-inch cookie cutter.
11. Place 2 inches apart onto ungreased cookie sheets.
12. Sprinkle with decorator sugars, if desired.
13. Bake for 6 to 10 minutes or until edges are lightly browned.
14. Ornaments:
15. While cookies are still warm, use toothpick to make holes for ribbons to hang cookies as ornaments.
16. Cool completely.
17. Frosting or filling: Combine 2 cups powdered sugar, 1/4 cup butter and 1 teaspoon vanilla in small bowl.
18. Beat at low speed, scraping bowl often and adding enough milk for desired frosting consistency.
19. Tint with food color, if desired.