Traditional Decorated Christmas Cookies

---------- Recipe via Meal-Master (tm) v8.01

Title: Traditional Decorated Christmas Cookies
Categories: Cookies
Yield: 48 servings

3/4 c Butter, unsalted; softened 1 ts Vanilla
1/2 c Sugar 1/4 ts Salt
1 ea Egg 2 1/4 c Flour; unsifted
1 tb Lemon peel; finely grated 1 tb Water; (use 2 if req'd)

-----------------------------------ICING-----------------------------------
3 ea Egg whites 2 ts Water; (use 3 if req'd)
1 lb Powdered sugar 1 x Food colors, sprinkles, etc

Beat together butter and sugar in small bowl with electric mixer until
light and fluffy. Beat in egg, lemon peel, vanilla and salt. Gradually
beat in flour until thouroughly incorporated. Add water, a few drops at a
time, only until dough starts to come away from side of bowl. Wrap dough
in plastic wrap. Refrigerate until firm, about 2 hours. Preheat oven to
350 deg. Lightly grease 4 cookie sheets.
On lightly floured surface, roll out dough to 1/8" thickness. Cut out
var-ious shapes using cookie cutters or homemade cardboard patterns, or
free- hand. Reroll scraps and cut out. Make small holes with wooden pick
if planning to hang cookies.
Bake for 12 to 15 minutes or until beginning to brown around edges.
Removecookies to wire rack to cool before decorating.
Prepare icing: Beat egg whites in small bowl with electric mixer until
foamy. Slowly beat in the powdered sugar. Continue to beat untion thick
and creamy. Add just enough water to get a good spreading consistency.
Tint with food coloring, if you wish. Spread evenly over cookies.
Decorate with glitter, sprinkles, dragees and cinnamon red hots, if

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