Cut-Out Cookies

By PaisleyJade - Tuesday, November 01, 2011


I couldn't wait to use my Munchstaches (moustache cookie cutters) that I was given last week, so yesterday I decided to try them out on two types of biscuits (you can get your own from here).

The first was the classic Shortbread biscuit - they worked fabulously (recipe for Shortbread here), and I think the moustache imprints worked best on this type of biscuit (as you can see in the top photo).

I've also been looking for a great basic biscuit recipe just for using cookie cutters and came across this one for "Cut-Out Cookies" in one of Nigella Lawson's books.  I thought I'd share it with you as it is easy to make and work with, and great for icing.

With Christmas on it's way (eeeeek!!) I'm looking forward to using this recipe for making Christmas biscuits with the children!


Cut-Out Cookie Ingredients

Cookies:

  • 6 tablespoons soft unsalted butter
  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 1 large egg
  • 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt

Icing:

  • 2 to 3 tablespoons just-boiled water
  • 1 cup confectioners' sugar, sifted
  • Food coloring, preferably pastes
  • Special equipment: cookie cutters

Directions

Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F).
Cream the butter and sugar together until pale and moving towards moussiness, then beat in the egg and vanilla. In another bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, and salt. Add the dry ingredients to the butter and eggs, and mix gently but surely. If you think the finished mixture is too sticky to be rolled out, add more flour, but do so sparingly as too much will make the dough tough. Form into a fat disk, wrap in plastic wrap, and let rest in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour.
Sprinkle a suitable surface with flour, place disk of dough on it, and sprinkle a little more flour on top of that. Then roll it out to a thickness of about 1/4-inch. Cut into shapes, dipping the cutter into flour as you go, and place the cookies a little apart on 2 parchment or silpat lined baking sheets.
Bake for 8 to 12 minutes; obviously it depends on the shape you're using and whether they are on the upper or lower shelf, though you can swap them around after about 5 minutes. When they're ready expect them to be tinged a pronounced gold around the edges; they'll be softish still in the middle, but set while they cool.
Remove the cookies with a flat, preferably flexible, spatula to a wire rack. When they are fully cooled, you can get on with the icing. Put a couple of tablespoons of not-quite-boiling water into a large bowl, add the sieved confectioners sugar and mix together, adding more water as you need to form a thick paste. Color,as desired. I think pastes are much better than liquid, not just because the range of colors is better but because they don't dilute the icing as they tint. Ice cooled cookies, as desired.


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Recipe Source here.

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20 comments

  1. LOL
    you are something else Miss PJ!!!!!


    love and light

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  2. hilarious! They are very cool!

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  3. cool and i bet they were yummy

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  4. Moustache cookies - that is quite unheard of... I LOVE THEM!! Super-cool xx

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  5. Moustache cookies!!! TOO CUTE!!! Love it!

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  6. trop trop mignon! Cos of you i m starting to be a mustache addict LOL

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  7. Anonymous8:04 am

    very cool cookie cutters! I would never have even thought they would make them. Thanks muchly for sharing!! Christmas cookies is on our 'million things to do before Christmas list' Never done them so before :)

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  8. Very original! At least it wouldn't be like eating (or kissing) a real mustache that has to be a bonus!

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  9. Too cute! I have to get some to make a batch for my moustache-ed Dad for Christmas!! Thank you so much for showing us these fab cutters.

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  10. Brilliant, I love them!

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  11. Genius!

    I can imagine them with chocolate tips, or covered in sprinkles - the mind boggles and the mouth waters!

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  12. eeeek!!! tooo Cute!!! So you!!

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  13. these are so cute!!!
    love um.

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  14. So funny! And I'm bookmarking the recipe---my roll-out cookies are never quite up to snuff.

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  15. How did I miss these?!? Love it! Ha ha!

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  16. these are defenently the life of a party. im sure i would eat them before anyone can see them...lol.thanks!

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  17. Saw these while compiling a list of things to buy whilst hubby in the States and thought of you...

    http://www.wilton.com/store/site/product.cfm?id=8A427B4E-1E0B-C910-EA2CB1B0998A2AB4&fid=8A427B9C-1E0B-C910-EAEC22A14611A408

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Thanks for your comments... I love hearing from you!!!