Ingredients
- 1/2 cup + 1/2 tablespoon butter flavored Crisco
- 1/2 cup + 2 tablespoons Dixie Crystals Extra Fine Granulated Sugar
- 2 tablespoons water
- 2 tablespoons one large egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour*
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar
- Royal Icing
- Heart cookie cutters
- Gel paste food coloring: white, pink, orange, yellow, purple, and green
- Piping bags
- Icing tip: #2 (or #3)
- Squeeze bottles, such as used for candy making
- Toothpicks
- Red food coloring pen
*Spoon & Sweep method: Use a spoon to fill measuring cup with flour until required amount is obtained. Scooping measuring cup directly into flour bag will firmly pack flour resulting in too much flour required for recipe.
Directions
- Preheat oven to 350°F.
- In a mixing bowl, cream the Crisco and sugar together.
- Beat one egg in another bowl and measure out 2 tablespoons. Add 2 tablespoons of egg into mixing bowl with water and vanilla until mixed.
- Then, blend in remaining dry ingredients on low speed till mixed.
- Roll out dough to 1/4 inch thickness and cut out desired shapes.
- Sprinkle with additional granulated sugar if desired.
- Before baking, dough can be wrapped in wax paper and chilled in refrigerator for 30 minutes to provide firmer dough for cutout cookies.
- Bake 11 to 12 minutes on an ungreased cookie sheet until the edges just begin to brown. Be careful not to over bake.
- Remove from oven once done and cool completely on a wire rack.
- As cookies are cooling, prepare Royal Icing. Divide into bowls and tint using the gel paste coloring. Press plastic wrap down onto the icing to prevent crusting.
- Spoon some of each color icing into piping bags fitted with #2 tips. Outline each cookie.
- Thin the remaining icing with water, a bit at a time, stirring with a silicone spatula, until it is the consistency of a thick syrup. You'll want to drop a "ribbon" of icing back into the bowl and have it disappear in a count of "one thousand one, one thousand two." Four is too thick, one is too thin. Count of 2-3 is good. Cover with a damp dishcloth and let sit for several minutes. Stir gently with a spatula to pop any air bubbles that might have formed. Pour into squeeze bottles.
- Fill in the outlines with the thinned icing, using a toothpick to guide to edges and pop large air bubbles.
- Let the iced cookies dry uncovered for 6-8 hours, or overnight.
- Once the icing is completely dry, use the food coloring marker to add sayings to the cookies. Feel free to personalize with your own messages.
Dixie Crystals Insight
Cookies decorated by Bridget Edwards @Bake at 350.