The Best Christmas Sugar Cutout Cookies - cooking recipe

Ingredients

1 cup granulated sugar
1 egg
1 cup softened butter (NO MARGARINE!!)
1 teaspoon orange juice
1 tablespoon vanilla
2 1/2 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
powdered sugar, for rolling

Preparation

Sift together flour and baking powder in separate bowl.
In second bowl, beat together sugar and egg until it becomes lemon-colored.
Add butter, orange juice and vanilla.
Mix until thoroughly incorporated.
Slowly begin adding flour mixture (about 1/2 cup at a time) and blend; continue until all flour is used.
Form into 2 flattened rectangles, wrap in plastic wrap, and chill for at least 1 hour.
When ready to roll, set oven to 400 deg F.
Cover baking sheets with parchment paper (can be reused from batch to batch).
Sprinkle powdered sugar onto rolling surface as you would flour.
Roll out one rectangle into desired thickness and cut out; place on baking sheet, making sure not to let cookies touch.
Re-form scraps and roll again (may have to add more powdered sugar for rolling); continue until all dough is used.
Once baking sheet is full, place into oven and set timer for 6 minutes.
Depending on cookie thickness, baking time can range from 6-10 minutes, so check at the 6-minute mark to determine whether you need to bake longer.
When light golden in color, remove cookies from baking sheet and place on cooling racks or flat surface covered with parchment.
Cool to room temperature and frost with favorite frosting.
If decorating, I recommend the following frosting (also appears in recipezaar under \"Cutout Cookie Decorator Icing\":.
1 cup confectioners sugar.
2 tsp milk.
2 tsp light corn syrup.
1/4 tsp vanilla.
food coloring.