Decorated Cut Out Cookies Without Frosting Recipes

Steps:

• In a large bowl, stir together all ingredients until they form a ball.
• Chill for 30 minutes.
• Remove 1/4 to 1/3 of the dough and set it aside in a sealed container.
• Color the remaining cookie dough with green food coloring to desired color shade.
• Roll cookie dough onto a parchment lined cookie sheet.
• Cut trees with a tree shaped cookie cutter and remove the outside pieces of dough. (knead outside pieces into a ball so that you can redo this same process on the next cookie sheet).
• Taking out the portion which you set aside in step #2, divide it up into small groups depending on the number of colors you want your balls/garland to be.
• Color each small group with food coloring and add tiny amounts of milk until it gets to the consistency that it can be piped through a pastry/decorating bag.
• Pipe your balls/and or garland colored cookie dough unto the unbaked trees. Bake in a preheated oven to 375 degrees Farenheit for about 12 minutes.
• You will have beautifully decorated cookies without the added frosting and everyone will wonder how you did it.

Steps:

• In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs, egg yolks and extracts. Combine the flour, baking powder and salt; gradually add to creamed mixture and mix well. Divide dough in half. Shape each into a ball, then flatten into a disk. Wrap in plastic and refrigerate for 1 hour., On a lightly floured surface, roll one portion of dough to 1/4-in. thickness. Cut with a floured 2-1/2-in. cookie cutter. Place 2 in. apart on greased baking sheets. Repeat., Bake at 350° for 13-16 minutes or until lightly browned. Remove to wire racks to cool completely. , For icing, in a large bowl, combine the confectioners' sugar, water, meringue powder and corn syrup. If desired, add extract and tint with food coloring; beat on low speed just until combined. Beat on high for 4-5 minutes or until stiff peaks form. Keep unused icing covered at all times with a damp cloth. If necessary, beat again on high speed to restore texture. Frost cookies. Let stand until set. , To decorate cookies, place melted candy coating in small resealable plastic bags; cut a small hole in the corner of each bag. Decorate cookies as desired.

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350˚F (180˚C). Line baking sheets with parchment paper.
• In a large bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, and salt. Mix with a fork.
• In a separate large bowl, cream together the butter and sugar with an electric hand mixer for 3-5 minutes, until the butter and sugar are fully combined, but before the mixture becomes fluffy. Add the egg and vanilla and beat to incorporate.
• Add the flour mixture and mix until just combined, but crumbly. Finish mixing with your hands until the dough comes together in a ball.
• Transfer the dough to a floured surface. Lightly flour the top of the dough and roll out to about ¼-inch thick. Use cookie cutters of your choice to punch out cookies. Place the cookie cut-outs on the prepared baking sheets.
• Bake for 8-10 minutes, until lightly browned around the edges. Let cool completely.
• To make the royal icing: In a medium bowl, add the meringue powder to the powdered sugar. Whisk to combine. Add the vanilla and 4-6 tablespoons of water (depending on how runny or thick you'd like your icing.) Whisk until completely combined.
• Divide the icing into smaller bowls and add any desired gel food colors. Immediately transfer to piping bags, or cover with plastic wrap. Do not leave the icing uncovered, as it will develop a film. If this happens, add a small amount of water and whisk to incorporate.
• Decorate the cookies with royal icing as desired and let dry completely, at least 3-4 hours or overnight.
• Enjoy!

Steps:

• Place sugar into mixing bowl.
• Combine milk, corn syrup and vanilla, and blend.
• Add liquid mixture to powdered sugar and mix thoroughly.
• Add softened butter and blend until thoroughly incorporated.
• Divide frosting into several cups, and add food coloring to each. If using liquid coloring, add a little more powdered sugar until it reaches good spreading consistency.
• Spread onto cookie with knife, or place in zip-loc sandwith bags with the corner nipped off 1/16" to pipe onto cookies.
• Decorate with sprinkles or colored sugars.
• Once cookies are decorated, place on flat surface to allow frosting to dry. Store cookies in covered container.
• NOTE: Differences in humidity may require more or less liquids to make a good consistency frosting. Sugar can be added or milk lessened to achieve the best consistency.

Steps:

• Cream butter and sugar. Beat in eggs.
• Dissolve the baking soda in the milk, then add to mixture. Add the vanilla and mix well
• Place salt in with flour and slowly stir into mixture. The dough should not be too sticky and should pull away from the sides of the bowl easily. If the dough is sticky, add a little more flour.
• Form the dough into a roll about a foot long and 2-3 inches in diameter. Roll up in wax paper and put in the refrigerator for 1 hour.
• Remove from refrigerator and let dough come to room temperature. Roll out dough a chunk at a time (one dough log makes about 4 chunks).
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (180 degrees C).
• Cut your cookies and decorate or bake plain for 8-10 minutes. Enjoy!