Basic Holiday Butter Cookies

Kim clegg avta21a Variations continued... 1. CUT-OUTS: On floured surface, roll chilled dough to 1/4" thick.

Flour cookies cutters and cut. Lift with metal spatula onto prepared sheets. Decorate before or after baking. For a vibrant food paint, mix 1 egg yolks with 1 tsp. water. Divide egg mix into 4-6 small bowls or a muffin pan. Use only a small amount of food color in each. Paste coloring will result in more intense colors than liquid food coloring. Use food paint brushes or cotton swabs to paint cookies. Colors intensify during baking. Or decorate after baking by piping frosting onto cooled cookies. The number of cookies will vary depending on size and shape of cutters. Egg-based paints should be used ONLY before baking. 2. SPRITZ: If desired, beat or fold in food color into dough. Fill

cookie press, gun or pastry bag. Use die or tip as desired. Follow manufacturer's directions. Makes about 35 using 1 dough disk. 3. CHOCOLATE CARAMEL MARBLES: Melt and cool 4 oz of chocolate. Knead

chocolate into 1 dough disk, just enough to achieve marbled look. Cut 6 caramels into quarters. Form a 3/4" ball of chocolate marble dough around each caramel quarter. Place on baking sheet. Chill 20 min. Bake 15 min. Makes 24. 4. MACAROON WREATHS: Tint 1 disk of dough and 2 cup of coconut with

green food coloring. Mix dough with 1 cup of green coconut. Roll into 24 tubes about 5" long. Join ends to form a wreath. Brush with egg white. Sprinkle with remaining 1 cup coconut. Dab a tiny amount of egg white on wreath and place 5 red cinnamon candies on each wreath. Bake 15 min till slightly golden. Makes 24.
-