CHRISTMAS COOKIES WITH FUN FROSTINGS

I CAME HOME LAST EVENING AND THE KIDS SOMEHOW HAD A VERY XMASSSY SPIRIT. I GUESS THIS WEATHER DOES THAT. THE CHILDREN WERE VERY KEEN TO MAKE CHRISTMAS CUT OUT COOKIES. WE STRUGGLED THROUGH RECIPES AND FINALLY FOUND THE ONE WE THOUGHT WAS THE PERFECT RECIPE. LUCKILY FOR US ,WE WERE RIGHT.THESE COOKIES ARE EASY EASY EASY. THEY HAVE A LOVELY CRUNCH TO THEM AND WHEN FROSTED,THE TASTE IS JUST MIND BLOWING. MAKE SURE YOU LET THEM COOL COMPLETELY TO DEVELOP THE CRUNCH.THE PICTURE I HAVE INCLUDED ARE THE COOKIES MY SON MADE AND DECORATED HIMSELF AND FULL OF PRIDE....HERE GOES THE RECIPE

SUGAR COOKIES tried n tested by divya burman
Sugar Cookies Recipe
INGREDIENTS
Sugar Cookie Recipe
Cookies:
.3 cups flour
.1 cup granulated sugar
.1 1/2 tsp baking powder
.1/2 tsp salt
.1 cup soft butter
.1 egg, slightly beaten
.3 tbsp cream
.1 tsp vanilla (can substitute almond extract)
METHOD
1) Sift dry ingredients, cut in butter and add other ingredients. Blend thoroughly; chill for minimum 1 hour max several hours
2) Break off a piece of dough the size of an orange and pat it flat in your hand. Using a rolling pin, roll on dough on floured board (best to use a 2/1 ration of flour/sugar - 4 Tbsp flour mixed with 2 Tbsp sugar) or between wax paper. (It helps if you flour both sides of the dought.) Roll out to about a 1/4 inch thickness. Cut out and put on silpat-lined or ungreased cookie sheet. Bake 5-8 minutes at 400 F. Remove the cookies from the oven as soon as you see them turning color at the base of the cookie. Let cool completely.
3) Mix icing ingredients together until smooth. Separate into different bowls, add food coloring to achieve various colors. Spread on cookies with a butter knife, use cake decorating piping equipment to add decorative accents. If you want the sprinkle type decorating candies to stick, brush the cookie with clear Karo syrup and then sprinkle.
Makes 3 dozen cookies.

ICING
.2 cups confectioners sugar, sifted
.1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
../4 cup milk
Food coloring(few drops)
1)To make icing, combine sugar, vanilla extract and just enough milk (about 1/4 cup) to make the frosting the consistency of thin glue. Pour icing into shallow bowls wide enough for dipping cookies. Add food coloring.
2) To decorate, dip the topside of each cookie into the icing. Remove quickly and let icing drip of excess back into the icing bowl. Let dry. Pour additional colored frosting into pastry piping, or use a plastic sandwich bag with the tip of one corner nicked off. Gently squeeze frosting on to cookies in whatever patterns you choose.