Aunt Zula's Christmas Cutouts

Aunt Zula's Christmas Cutouts are a must-have during the holiday season. These delicious and buttery cookies are perfect for decorating with festive icing and sprinkles. It's a fun activity for the whole family and the end result is a plate full of beautiful and tasty holiday treats.

Ingredients

• 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1 large egg
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• Assorted food coloring
• Assorted sprinkles and icing for decorating

Directions

1. In a large bowl, cream together the softened butter and granulated sugar until light and fluffy.
2. Beat in the egg and vanilla extract until well combined.
3. In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt.
4. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the butter mixture, mixing well after each addition.
5. Divide the dough into four equal portions.
6. Wrap each portion in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
7. Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C).
8. Remove one portion of dough from the refrigerator and roll it out on a lightly floured surface to about 1/4-inch thickness.
9. Use cookie cutters in various festive shapes to cut out cookies from the rolled dough.
10. Carefully transfer the cookies to baking sheets lined with parchment paper.
11. Repeat the rolling and cutting process with the remaining portions of dough.
12. Bake the cookies in the preheated oven for 8-10 minutes, or until the edges are lightly golden.
13. Remove from the oven and let cool on the baking sheets for 5 minutes before transferring them to wire racks to cool completely.
14. Once the cookies are completely cooled, prepare the icing by mixing powdered sugar with a little water or milk to achieve a thick but pourable consistency.
15. Divide the icing into separate bowls and add food coloring to create different colors.
16. Decorate the cooled cookies with the colored icing and top with assorted sprinkles.
17. Let the icing set before storing the cookies in an airtight container.

Interesting Facts