Santa Cookies

Cute Santa Cookies
Rolled Sugar Cookies

½ C. Margarine, softened
1 C. Sugar
1 Egg
¼ C. Milk
½ tsp Vanilla
2 ¼ C. All-purpose Flour
2 tsp Baking Powder
1 tsp Ground Mace
½ Salt

Cream Margarine and Sugar, add Egg, Milk, and Vanilla; beat well.
Stir Flour, Baking Powder, Mace, and Salt; blend into creamed mixture.

Divide in half, cover; chill 1 hour.

On lightly floured surface, roll each half into 1/8 inch for thin crispy cookies,
or ¼ inch for thick softer cookies.

Cut into desired shapes, place on Ungreased Cookie Sheet.

Bake thin cookies at 375° for 7 to 8 minutes.
Bake thick cookies at 375° for 10 to 12 minutes.

Makes 4 – 4 ½ Dozen Thin Cookies, or 3 Dozen Thick Cookies.

Royal Icing

4 1/2 Cups Icing Sugar
1/2 Cup Water
10 teaspoons Meringue Powder

Make sure all Utensils are Grease Free, or Icing will break down.
In Large Metal Bowl, Mix Dry Ingredients well, then add Water. (When you first start Mixing, it will be a Yellowish Color.) Beat at Low Speed till mixed then at Medium speed until it turns Pure White. Turn speed up to High for 10 Minutes, if too stiff, add a little bit more water, if too soft, add a little bit more Icing Sugar, (keep Royal Icing Covered with Plastic Wrap when not being used). Put 1/2 Cup in a Bowl and Color it Pink, add a few Drops of water to thin it so it will flow over the Face area of the Cookie. Put 1/2 Cup in a Bowl and Color it Red, add a few Drops of water to thin it so it will flow over the Hat area and Mouth of the Cookie. Put 1/4 Cup in a Bowl and Color it Light Blue, put in a small Parchment Bag with a #4 tip for the Eyes. In a Large Parchment Bag with a #17 tip, fill with White Royal Icing, and move up and down over the Hat Trim area and Beard area. In a Large Parchment Bag with a #23 tip, fill with White Royal Icing, and pull out from either side of the Mouth area for his Mustache.