Savory Christmas Cutouts Recipes

SIMPLE SAVORY CHRISTMAS TREES

Steps:

• Roll out Puff Pastry (or defrost completely if frozen) lightly roll to smooth out. Spread with cream cheese mousse and top with salami slices, then slice into 9 or 10 strips lengthwise.
• Fold the strips of dough accordion style, start with a small amount and widen as you go (until you reach the end).
• Place a long skewer in the center starting at the base then through to the top of the tree. Place on a parchment paper lined cookie sheet.
• Refrigerate for 20-30 minutes. While strips are in the fridge pre-heat oven to 350°.
• Remove from fridge and bake for approximately 15 minutes or until golden. If desired top each tree with a green olive and stick into a hard square of cheese or serve as is. Enjoy!

SAVORY CHRISTMAS CUTOUTS

Steps:

• In a bowl, combine the first six ingredients; cut in butter until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Gradually add wine or broth, tossing with a fork until dough forms a ball., On a lightly floured surface, roll out dough to 1/8-in. thickness. Cut with 2-in. cookie cutters dipped in flour. Place 1 in. apart on ungreased baking sheets. , Brush tops with egg; sprinkle with sesame and/or poppy seeds. Bake at 400° for 10-12 minutes or until lightly browned. Remove to wire racks to cool.

CHRISTMAS CUTOUTS WITH VANILLA ICING

Steps:

• For cookies:
• Sift first 3 ingredients into medium bowl. Using electric mixer, beat butter and 1 cup sugar in large bowl to blend well. Add egg, sour cream, and vanilla; beat 1 minute. Beat in dry ingredients in 2 additions until just blended. Gather dough together; divide in half. Flatten each half into disk; wrap in plastic and chill 1 hour. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Keep chilled. Soften dough slightly at room temperature before rolling out.)
• Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. Sprinkle work surface and top of dough disks with additional sugar. Working with 1 disk at a time, roll out dough to 1/4-inch thickness (dough will be very soft). Using assorted 2- to 3-inch cookie cutters, cut out cookies. Transfer to prepared sheets, spacing 1 inch apart. Gather scraps and roll out on sugared surface; cut out more cookies. Repeat until all dough is used. Chill all cookies on baking sheets at least 15 minutes and up to 1 hour.
• Preheat oven to 350°F. Bake cookies, 1 sheet at a time, until light golden at edges, about 12 minutes. Transfer cookies to racks and cool completely.
• For icing:
• Combine 4 cups powdered sugar, 3 tablespoons milk, and vanilla in medium bowl. Stir until icing is well blended, smooth, and spreadable, adding more milk by teaspoonfuls if too thick or more sugar by tablespoonfuls if too thin. Using small icing spatula or table knife, spread thin layer of icing atop each cookie. If using colored sugar crystals, sprinkle over cookies before icing sets. If using food-safe colored markers, let icing dry about 30 minutes; decorate cookies as desired. (Can be made 3 days ahead. Store airtight between sheets of waxed paper at room temperature.)
• *The Bon Appetit test-kitchen staff used food-safe colored markers, called FooDoodler pens, to decorate these cookies. The markers are available at Sur La Table stores or can be ordered from King Arthur Flour (800-827-6836) or bakerscatalogue.com.

THE BEST SUGAR COOKIE RECIPE

Steps:

• In a large mixing bowl, cream together the sugar and butter until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add the egg, then the vanilla and mix until combined. Stir in the sour cream. Beat on high for 2 minutes, then scrape the sides of the bowl.
• In another bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Add to the wet ingredients and beat on low until just combined. Divide the dough in half and wrap each half tightly with plastic wrap. Chill in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours, or up to 3 days.
• Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line baking sheets with parchment paper.
• Working with one half of dough at a time and leaving the other chilling in the fridge, roll the dough to about 1/2-inch thick (no less than 1/4-inch thick) on a clean floured surface. I recommend flipping the dough at least once while rolling and adding more flour to the work surface and rolling pin.
• Use cookie cutters to cut out shapes and carefully transfer to prepared baking sheets. Bake for 10 minutes, or until cookies just start to look dry, rotating pans halfway through the baking time. Do not over-bake! They might not look done, but they are! Let cool on the baking sheet for 10 minutes before transferring to a wire rack. Cool completely before frosting. Frost the cookies using my Easy Icing recipe.
• Beat the sugar, butter, vanilla and 4 tablespoons of the milk in a mixing bowl on low speed until combined. Add the remaining milk, 1 tablespoon at a time until smooth.
• Switch to high speed and beat until the frosting is a spreadable consistency, but still thick enough so it's not too runny. Add more milk, if needed, 1 tablespoon at a time. If it gets too runny, add more powdered sugar, as needed, 1/4 cup at a time. Use an offset spatula to spread frosting on the cookies, leaving 1/4-inch edge. Decorate with sprinkles immediately before frosting dries.

THE BEST CHRISTMAS SUGAR CUTOUT COOKIES

Steps:

• Sift together flour and baking powder in separate bowl.
• In second bowl, beat together sugar and egg until it becomes lemon-colored.
• Add butter, orange juice and vanilla.
• Mix until thoroughly incorporated.
• Slowly begin adding flour mixture (about 1/2 cup at a time) and blend; continue until all flour is used.
• Form into 2 flattened rectangles, wrap in plastic wrap, and chill for at least 1 hour.
• When ready to roll, set oven to 400 deg F.
• Cover baking sheets with parchment paper (can be reused from batch to batch).
• Sprinkle powdered sugar onto rolling surface as you would flour.
• Roll out one rectangle into desired thickness and cut out; place on baking sheet, making sure not to let cookies touch.
• Re-form scraps and roll again (may have to add more powdered sugar for rolling); continue until all dough is used.
• Once baking sheet is full, place into oven and set timer for 6 minutes.
• Depending on cookie thickness, baking time can range from 6-10 minutes, so check at the 6-minute mark to determine whether you need to bake longer.
• When light golden in color, remove cookies from baking sheet and place on cooling racks or flat surface covered with parchment.
• Cool to room temperature and frost with favorite frosting.
• If decorating, I recommend the following frosting (also appears in recipezaar under "Cutout Cookie Decorator Icing":.
• 1 cup confectioners sugar.
• 2 tsp milk.
• 2 tsp light corn syrup.
• 1/4 tsp vanilla.
• food coloring.