Santa Claus Apples Recipes

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325°. In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy, 5-7 minutes. Add milk and vanilla; mix well. Add flour and mix well. Remove 1-2/3 cups dough; tint red. Shape white dough into 12 balls, 3/4 in. each, 48 balls, 1/2 in. each. and 12 balls, 1/4 in. each. Shape red dough into 12 balls, 1-1/4 in. each, and 60 balls, 1/2 in. each., Place the 1-1/4 in. red balls on two ungreased baking sheets for the body of 12 Santas. Attach 3/4-in. white balls for heads. Attach four 1/2-in. red balls to each Santa for arms and legs. Attach 1/2 in. white balls to ends of arms and legs for hands and feet; lightly press together. , Shape remaining 1/2-in. red balls into hats. Attach 1/4-in. white balls to tips of hats. Place inverted chocolate chips or sprinkles for eyes., Bake until set, 12-15 minutes. Cool for 10 minutes; carefully remove from pans to wire racks (cookies will be fragile)., For icing, combine shortening and vanilla in a small bowl; mix well. Gradually add 1-1/3 cups confectioners' sugar; add 1 tablespoon milk. Gradually add remaining sugar and milk., Pipe a band of icing on hat, cuffs at hands and feet, and down the front and at bottom of jacket. Pipe swirls of icing on tip of hat and for beard. Sprinkle nonpareils and sugar pearls over icing on hat and beard. Place a Red Hot candy for nose.

Steps:

• In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs and vanilla. In another bowl, whisk flour, baking soda, cream of tartar, nutmeg and salt; gradually beat into creamed mixture., Divide dough in half. Shape each into a disk; wrap in plastic. Refrigerate 1 hour or until firm enough to roll., Preheat oven to 375°. On a lightly floured surface, roll each portion of dough to 1/4-in. thickness. Cut with a floured 3-in. Santa-shaped cookie cutter. Place 2 in. apart on greased baking sheets., Bake 8-10 minutes or until light brown. Remove from pans to wire racks to cool completely., For frosting, in a large bowl, beat butter until creamy. Beat in milk, vanilla and salt. Gradually beat in confectioners' sugar until smooth. Pipe onto cookies and decorate as desired.