Christmas cookies

Votes: 4

Time: 2 hours 35 minutes
Complexity: easily
Quantity: 36 cookies

Just as New Year's Eve in Russia is unthinkable without Olivier salad and tangerines, so in Europe no Christmas is complete without cookies. They are given as souvenirs, sold at fairs, and simply enjoyed in the evenings with a glass of milk or a cup of tea. The most important thing about this dessert is the aroma and decoration, which create that magical holiday atmosphere. These cookies are easy to make with your child: they're sure to enjoy cutting out various shapes from the dough using cookie cutters. And since the base of the decoration is colored egg icing, which doesn't require as much precision as royal icing, young cooks can decorate the cookies themselves.

The recipes use measuring containers with the following volumes:
1 glass (st.) - 250 ml.
3/4 cup (st.) - 180 ml.
2/3 cup (st.) - 160 ml.
1/2 cup (st.) - 125 ml.
1/3 cup (st.) - 80 ml.
1/4 cup (st.) - 60 ml.
1 tablespoon (tbsp) - 15 ml.
1 teaspoon (tsp) - 5 ml.
1/5 teaspoon (tsp) - 1 ml.

Ingredients for the recipe:

Cookie

2/3 cup margarine
3/4 cup granulated sugar
0.5 tsp orange or lemon zest, grated
0.5 tsp vanilla extract
1 large egg
4 teaspoons of milk
2 cups of premium flour, plus extra for rolling out the dough
1.5 tsp baking powder
1/4 teaspoon fine salt

Egg glaze

1 large egg yolk
2-3 drops of food coloring
900 g of powdered sugar
1/4 cup milk
2 tbsp pasteurized egg whites

Ingredient Substitution Suggestions

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Recipes with similar ingredients: premium flour, Orange zest, powdered sugar, milk, eggs

Cooking the dish according to the recipe:

CookieUsing a mixer, beat the margarine, granulated sugar, orange zest, and vanilla until creamy, about 2 minutes. Add the egg and beat for about 1 minute until light and fluffy. Stir in the milk.
Sift the flour, baking powder, and salt through a sieve and fold them into the creamy mixture. Divide the dough into 2 portions (3 if doubling the recipe), place between 2 sheets of waxed paper, smooth out slightly, and refrigerate for 1 hour or freeze for 20 minutes.

On a floured surface, roll out the dough to a thickness of 0.6 cm and cut out cookies using cookie cutters. Transfer the cookies to greased baking sheets and chill for about 30 minutes, until firm.
Preheat oven to 190°C.
Egg glazeWhile the dough is chilling, combine the egg yolk, 1 teaspoon of water, and food coloring. Using a soft brush, brush the cookies with the egg wash.
Bake for 6-7 minutes. Don't let the cookies brown. They will rise slightly and the glaze will look cracked. Bake a second batch if you have any leftover dough.
Decorating with glazeWhile the cookies are baking, mix together the powdered sugar, milk, and egg whites. Make sure the mixture is thick and holds its shape well.

Remove the cookies from the oven and place them on a wire rack to cool completely, about 30 minutes.

Using a pastry bag or a regular zip-lock bag (with the tip snipped off), decorate the cookies with white icing.