Santa Claus Cookies

1 cup granulated sugar

½ cup shortening

2 tablespoons milk

1 teaspoon grated lemon peel

1 egg

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

½ teaspoon baking soda

½ teaspoon salt

Creamy Frosting (below)

Miniature marshmallow

Red sugar

Currants or semisweet chocolate chips

Red cinnamon candies

Shredded coconut

Mix granulated sugar, shortening, milk, lemon peel and egg. Stir in flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Heat oven to 400°. Shape dough into 1¼-inch balls. Place about 2 inches apart on ungreased cookie sheet; flatten each to about 2½-inch diameter with greased bottom of glass dipped in sugar. Bake until edges are light brown, 8 to 10 minutes; cool.

Spread cookie with small amount of Creamy Frosting. Press on miniature marshmallow for tassel of cap. Sprinkle top third of cookie with red sugar. Press 2 currants for eyes and red cinnamon candy for nose into center third. Sprinkle bottom third with coconut for beard. Frost and decorate each cookie before starting another. About 1½ dozen cookies.

Santa Claus Cookie Pops: After shaping dough into balls, insert wooden ice-cream sticks halfway into balls; continue as directed.

CREAMY FROSTING

Mix 1½ cups powdered sugar, ½ teaspoon vanilla and 2 to 3 tablespoons water until of desired consistency.

 

It is a quote. Betty Crocker’s Christmas Cookbook 1982