Roly-Poly Santas
Country Woman Christmas
Try a FREE ISSUE of Taste of Home!
I tuck one of these fanciful Santas into every gift cookie tray I make. They're a guaranteed hit with kids—young and old. And I like that they're not too difficult to assemble.
SERVINGS: 12
CATEGORY: Dessert
METHOD: Baked
TIME: Prep: 1 hour Bake: 15 min. + cooling
Ingredients:
- 1 cup butter, softened
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1 tablespoon milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2-1/4 cups all-purpose flour
- Red paste food coloring
- Miniature chocolate chips
- FROSTING:
- 1/2 cup shortening
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2-1/3 cups confectioners' sugar, divided
- 2 tablespoons milk, divided
Directions:
In a large mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add milk and vanilla; mix well. Add flour and mix well. Remove 2 cups dough; add red food coloring. Shape white dough into 12 balls, 3/4 in. each, and 48 balls, 1/4 in. each. Shape red dough into 12 balls, 1 in. each, and 60 balls, 1/2 in. each.
Place the 1-in. red balls on two ungreased baking sheets for the body of 12 Santas; flatten to 1/2-in. thickness. Attach 3/4-in. white balls for heads; flatten to 1/2-in. thickness. Attach four 1/2-in. red balls to each Santa for arms and legs. Attach 1/4-in. white balls to ends of arms and legs for hands and feet. Shape remaining 1/2-in. red balls into hats (see the photo). Add chocolate chip eyes and buttons.
Bake at 325° for 12-15 minutes or until set. Cool for 10 minutes; carefully remove from pans to wire racks (cookies will be fragile).
For frosting, combine shortening and vanilla in a small mixing bowl; mix well. Gradually add 1-1/3 cups confectioners' sugar; add 1 tablespoon milk. Gradually add remaining sugar and milk.
Cut a small hole in the corner of pastry bag or heavy-duty resealable plastic bag; insert round pastry tip #3. Fill bag with frosting. Pipe a band of icing on hat, cuffs at hands and feet, and down the front and at bottom of jacket. Use star pastry tip #16 to pipe beard and pom-pom on hat. Yield: 1 dozen. Editor's Note: Remaining dough may be shaped into balls and baked.