Make Christmas Cookies At Home?

on


INGREDIENTS:

MAKES 30
  • 175g/6oz/¾ cup unsalted (sweet) butter, at room temperature
  • 275g/10oz/scant/1½ cups caster (superfine) sugar
  • 1 egg
  • 1 egg yolk
  • 5ml/1 tablespoon vanilla extract
  • Grated rind of 1 lemon
  • 1.5ml/¼ tablespoon salt
  • 275g/10oz/2½ cups plain (all-purpose) flour
FOR DECORATING (OPTIONAL)
  • Colored icing and small decorations

STEPS:

  1. Preheat oven to 350°F/180°C/Gas 4.
  2. With an electric mixer, cream the butter until soft. Add the sugar gradually and continue beating until light and fluffy.
  3. Using a wooden spoon, slowly mix in the whole egg and the egg yolk. Add the vanilla, lemon rind and salt. Stir to mix well.
  4. Add the flour and stir until blended. Gather the mixture into a ball, wrap in baking parchment, and chill for at least 30 minutes.
  5. On a floured surface, roll out the mixture to 3 mm thick.
  6. Stamp out shapes or rounds with biscuit (cookie) cutters.
  7. Bake until lightly colored, about 8 minutes. 
  8. Transfer to a rack and leave to cool completely before icing and decorating, if wished.