THE PIONEER WOMAN'S FAVORITE CHRISTMAS COOKIE

Here's Pioneer Woman's Favorite Christmas Cookie. She has pictures. Her site is very fun. If you haven't been there you are in for a treat. My only caution is don't make that much white decorator icing. That will ice a truckload of cookies.

Pioneer Woman’s Favorite Christmas Cookies From Childhood and Beyond

2/3 cup shortening
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon grated orange or lemon zest
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1 egg
4 teaspoons milk
2 cups flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt

Cream shortening, sugar, orange peel, and vanilla thoroughly. Add in egg and beat until light and fluffy. Add in the milk and mix.

Sift dry ingredients together, then blend into cream mixture. Divide dough in half (thirds if you double the recipe), slightly flatten between two sheets of waxed paper, then refrigerate for one hour (or freeze for 20 minutes.)

Roll out dough on lightly floured surface and cut into shapes with cookie cutters. Transfer shapes to lightly greased cookie sheet and paint cookies with soft brushes with egg yolk glaze:

Egg Yolk Glaze
1 egg yolk
1 teaspoon water
2 to 3 drops food coloring

Bake at 375-degrees for approximately 6 minutes. Do not allow to become brown.
Remove cookies from oven, remove cookies to wire rack to cool. Then, using a pastry bag or Ziploc, pipe with white icing to decorate.

White Decorative Icing
1 2-pound bag powdered sugar
1/4 cup milk
2 tablespoons egg white (optional)*

Mix together, ensuring the icing is much thicker than Pioneer Woman’s icing was that day. Icing should be thick and somewhat retain its shape.

Enjoy!