Gramma's Santa Claus Cookies

Betty Burdett's hand-written recipe is dated 1959.

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The Santa Claus cookie cutter can be purchased from:

Gramma's Creative Cutters

P. O. Box 970

Canandaigua, NY 14424-0970

1 cup shortening

3 cups flour

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Work the above ingredients like you would to make a pie crust.

Add the following to the beaten mixture and mix some more.

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1 cup sugar

3 tablespoons cream

2 eggs

1/2 teaspoon soda

1 teaspoon salt

1+ teaspoons vanilla

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Chill the dough for 30 - 60 minutes.

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Roll out a little dough at a time (a little thicker than 1/8") on parchment paper. Getting the correct thickness is important to capture Santa's features and remove the dough from the cutter. If the dough is too thick or too thin, you will have problems. Keep the remaining dough in the refrigerator.

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Flour the dough and the inside of cutter lightly to facilitate the release of the dough from the cutter. Keep the inside portion of the cutter clean (free of sticky dough). Wash and dry the cutter every few cookies.

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Press the edges of the cutter to cut the dough.

Press the handles and the area around the eyes to capture the design.

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Remove the excess dough surrounding the cutter (still lying on parchment paper).

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Lift off the cutter to expose Santa. If the cutter was clean -- and the cutter and dough were floured properly -- this will usually work. In some cases, you may have to tap or slap the cutter to remove "Santa." [This can be tricky.]

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Examine Santa, especially the area around the eyelids.

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If Santa looks good, use a spatula to transfer Santa to a slightly greased cookie sheet. Leave at least 1/3" between cookies as they will expand some as they bake.

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If Santa doesn't look very good (i.e., indistinct features), use the spatula to return the cookie dough to the RE-FLOURED and CLEAN cutter and use your thumb to gently press in the design ONLY (i.e., stay at least 1/4" FROM the edge of cutter when pressing in the design).

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Transfer the cookie dough from the cutter to your parchment paper or directly to the slightly greased cookie sheet. You again may have to tap or slap the cutter to remove the dough from the cutter. If you initially transferred the cookie to the parchment paper, you will obviously have to use the spatula to transfer Santa to the cookie sheet.

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Bake at 350 degrees for 10-12 minutes. The cookies will expand some as they cook.

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2-1/2 cups of powdered sugar

4 tablespoons milk

2 tablespoons vegetable shortening

1/8 - 1/4 teaspoons of rum, almond or vanilla extract

Brush on "light corn syrup" the middle (red) portion of the hat, nose, and cheeks. Then sprinkle on red sugar (e.g., Betty Crocker "Décor" brand).

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Frost the top of the cap, the cap area above Santa's forehead, and Santa's beard.

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Optional: Put some "flake sweetened" coconut on Santa's beard (this is Bob's favorite).

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Use some blue glossy decorating gel (e.g., Cake Mate brand in tube) for Santa's eyes. White glossy decorating gel (easy) or frosting (harder) can be used for Santa's eyelashes and mouth (teeth).

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