Penguin Cutouts
TOTAL TIME: Prep: 1-1/2 hours + chilling Bake: 10 min./batch + cooling
YIELD: 3 dozen.
Your children can help decorate these cute Christmas cookies. It’s a memory-making way to get them involved in the kitchen. —Taste of Home Test Kitchen
Ingredients
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1/2 cup butter-flavored shortening
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1 cup sugar
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1 large egg, room temperature
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1-1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
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1/2 cup sour cream
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2-3/4 cups all-purpose flour
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1/2 teaspoon baking soda
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1/2 teaspoon salt
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FROSTING:
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3-3/4 cups confectioners' sugar
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1/3 cup water
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4 teaspoons meringue powder
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Orange, black, red and green paste food coloring
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Edible ink pen, optional
Directions
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1.
In a large bowl, cream shortening and sugar until light and fluffy, 5-7 minutes. Beat in egg and vanilla. Stir in sour cream. Combine flour, baking soda and salt; gradually add to creamed mixture and mix well. Divide dough into 3 balls; cover and refrigerate 3 hours or until easy to handle.
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2.
Preheat oven to 375°. Remove dough from the refrigerator, 1 portion at a time. On a lightly floured surface, roll out dough to 1/8-in. thickness. Cut with a floured 4-in. penguin cookie cutter. Place 1 in. apart on ungreased baking sheets.
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3.
Bake 6-8 minutes or until edges are lightly browned. Remove to wire racks to cool.
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4.
For frosting, in a small bowl, combine confectioners' sugar, water and meringue powder; beat on low speed just until combined. Beat on high 4 minutes or until soft peaks form.
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5.
Set aside half the frosting to remain white. Tint half the remaining frosting black. Divide the rest into thirds; tint 1 orange, 1 red and 1 green. Store frostings in airtight containers when not in use. Beat again on high speed to restore texture as needed between uses.
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6.
Working quickly with the black frosting, pipe outlines of the penguins' bodies; fill in with thinned black frosting. Let dry at room temperature for several hours or until firm. Fill in centers of penguins with thinned white frosting; let dry until firm.
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7.
Add eyes with the black and white frostings or edible-ink pen. Add orange beaks and feet and red and green scarves. Let stand until set. Add white and contrasting-colored polka dots on the scarves. Let stand until set. Store in an airtight container.
Nutrition Facts
1 cookie: 139 calories, 4g fat (1g saturated fat), 6mg cholesterol, 56mg sodium, 26g carbohydrate (18g sugars, 0 fiber), 1g protein.
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