Christmas Tree Cookies

Description

Source: Company's Coming Entertaining For The Holidays - Jean Pare

If your favourite part of the holidays is trimming the tree, these are for you - sweet vanilla cookies speckled with cinnamon and "trimmed" with fun decorations. If making these ahead, freeze the cookies before icing and decorating.

Ingredients

• 3/4 cup (175 ml) granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup (125 ml) butter (or hard margarine), softened
• 1/2 cup (125 ml) vegetable shortening, softened
• 2 large eggs
• 3 tbsp. (50 ml) maple syrup
• 1/2 tsp. (2 ml) vanilla extract
• 3 cups (750 ml) all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 tsp. (7 ml) baking powder
• 1/4 tsp. (1 ml) salt
• 1/4 tsp. (1 ml) ground cinnamon
• 2 1/2 cups (625 ml) icing (confectioner's) sugar
• 2 tbsp. (30 ml) pasteurized egg white product
• 2 tsp. (10 ml) water
• 1 tsp. (5 ml) lemon juice
• 6 drops of green liquid food colouring
• 6 drops of yellow liquid food colouring
• 1 cup (250 ml) mini candy-coated chocolates

Directions

1. Beat 3 ingredients in large bowl until light and fluffy.
2. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition.
3. Add maple syrup and vanilla.
4. Beat well.
5. Combine next 4 ingredients in small bowl.
6. Add to sugar mixture in 2 additions, mixing well after each addition until no dry flour remains.
7. Divide into 2 portions.
8. Shape into flattened discs.
9. Wrap in plastic wrap.
10. Chill for 1 hour.
11. Let dough stand at room temperature for 10 minutes.
12. Discard plastic wrap.
13. Roll out dough on lightly floured surface to 1/4 inch (6 mm) thickness.
14. Cut out shapes with lightly floured 4 inch (10 cm) three-shaped cookie cutter.
15. Roll out scraps to cut more shapes.
16. Arrange about 1 inch (2.5 cm) apart on greased cookie sheets.
17. Bake in 350°F (175°C) oven for about 14 minutes until golden.
18. Let stand on cookie sheets for 5 minutes before removing to wire racks to cool completely.
19. Beat next 6 ingredients in medium bowl until stiff peaks form.
20. Spoon into piping bag fitted with small writing tip.
21. Pipe onto 1 cookie.
22. Decorate with candy-coated chocolates.
23. Let stand until set.
24. Repeat with remaining cookies, icing and candy-coated chocolates.

Makes about 36 cookies