Soft Cut Out Sugar Cookie Recipes

Steps:

• Whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, salt and baking soda in a medium bowl and set aside.
• Put the butter into the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment (or a large bowl if using a hand mixer) and beat on medium-high speed until smooth. Add the sugar and beat until light and fluffy, scraping down the sides of the bowl and paddle as needed, about 4 minutes more. Add the egg and vanilla and beat until smooth. Add the melted chocolate and beat until smooth.
• Reduce the mixer speed to medium-low and add the flour mixture in two batches, scraping down the sides of the bowl and paddle as needed. Mix until incorporated.
• Divide the dough in half and shape into two flattened disks. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate until firm at least 1 hour and up to 3 days. Remove the dough from the refrigerator for 20 to 30 minutes before rolling, to soften.
• Position oven racks to the upper and lower third of the oven and preheat to 350 degrees F. Line two baking sheets with parchment. Now flour parchment for rolling: Dust a piece of parchment with flour, place a disk of dough on it, dust the disk with flour, then cover it with a second piece of parchment. Roll out the dough about 1/4 inch thick. Cut out shapes with 11/2- to 2-inch cookie cutters. Gather up the scraps, re-roll and cut out. (Chill the scraps if the dough becomes too soft.) Roll and cut out the remaining disk of dough. Working in batches, arrange the cookies 1 inch apart on the prepared baking sheets.
• Bake the cookies until the tops look dry and no indentation is left when pressed with your finger, 10 to 12 minutes. Let the cookies cool for a few minutes on the baking sheets, then use a metal spatula to transfer them to a rack to cool completely.
• Decorate with royal icing as desired. Store at room temperature in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
• Combine the confectioners' sugar, meringue powder and 3/4 cup water in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment (or in a large bowl if using a hand mixer). Mix on medium-low speed until pure white and stiff enough to form peaks.
• Add up to 1 tablespoon food coloring if using and mix with a rubber spatula until the color is uniform. Store at room temperature, covered, with plastic wrap on the surface for up to 2 days. Re-whip until smooth before using.

Steps:

• In a medium bowl, sift together flour, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
• In a large mixing bowl, cream together shortning, butter, and sugar.
• Add eggs, one one at a time, beating well after each addition.
• Add vanilla, beat until light and fluffy.
• Aleternately, add flour mixture and milk in halves, folding after each addition until just blended.
• Divide dough into thirds, wrap each third in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 2 hours.
• Preheat oven to 325°F
• Preferred method to baking - use parchment paper! Measure and cut pieces to fit on your cookie sheets. No need to grease cookie sheets. If not using parchment, lightly grease cookie sheets.
• Remove one package of dough. Place on a precut, lightly floured parchment paper, or a well floured surface, and roll out using a floured rolling pin to 1/8th inch thickness.
• Cut cookies with shaped cutters, dipping cutter into flour between each cut. Clean excess dough off as needed. Cut cookies with at least 1 inch space between.
• After cutting all the dough, pull away excess dough. Gather into a ball, rewrap with plastic wrap and refrigerate.
• Carefully slide parchment onto cookie sheet.
• Bake for 8 to 10 minutes, or until just set in middle. Time will depend greatlyon the size and shape of your cutters. Edges of cookies should not change color. Bottoms should be a VERY pale golden color.
• Let cookies cool on baking sheet for a few minutes. Carefully slide parchment off of cookie sheet and onto wire rack or clean counter to cool completely. Use thin spatula, and line counter with paper, if not using parchment.
• Repeat process with remaining packages of dough. Then combine all the excess dough from the original 3 packages and continue making cookies until all dough is used.
• Decorate when cooled, and store in an airtight container.

Steps:

• beat well 3 eggs in a small side bowl.
• mix in large bowl moisten butter (20 sec microwave should do it, if you forgot to set the butter out to soften on its on, just softened not melted), sugar, vanilla, and eggs. Blend well.
• Next add baking soda, salt, baking powder � mix well.
• Add sour cream �mix well.
• Add flour one cup at a time, once get to six cups only add a little at a time till you get the right consistency (use aprx. 6.5 cups).
• Put in freezer or fridge for a little while to make easier to handle.
• Roll out and cut into you favorite shapes. I like to place on parchment paper on my pans so they come off easy.
• Cook @ 325º until done (approx. 6-8 minutes depending on the thickness) Watch them closely dont over bake. Don't wait till they turn brown. I always watch the surface of the cookies when they are raw they look shiny once cooked they are matte.
• let cool then frost with your favorite icing recipe and decorate.