SANTA SUGAR COOKIES

Santa Sugar Cookies image

Ho ho ho! St. Nick can drop in any time when you bake these cute-as-can-be treats formed with a heart-shaped cookie cutter.-Jill Boruff, Soap Lake, Washington

Provided by Taste of Home

Time 1h10m

Yield about 4 dozen.

Number Of Ingredients 17

Ingredients

1-1/2 cups butter, softened
1-1/2 cups shortening
1-1/2 cups sugar
1-1/2 cups confectioners' sugar
4-1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
3 large eggs, room temperature
6-3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1-1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1-1/2 teaspoons cream of tartar
1-1/2 teaspoons salt
FROSTING:
2 cans (12 ounces each) whipped vanilla frosting
2 tablespoons butter, softened
2 cups confectioners' sugar
Brown and red M&M's minis
Red colored sugar
Red jimmies

Steps:

Cream first four ingredients until light and fluffy. Beat in vanilla and eggs, one at a time. Whisk together flour, baking soda, cream of tartar and salt; gradually add to creamed mixture. Divide dough in half; shape into disks. Wrap in plastic; refrigerate until firm enough to roll, 1-2 hours. , Preheat oven to 375°. On a lightly floured surface, roll each portion of dough to 1/4-in. thickness. Cut with a floured 3-1/2-in. heart-shaped cookie cutter. Place 1 in. apart on ungreased baking sheets. Bake until firm, 8-10 minutes (do not overbake). Remove from pans to wire racks; cool completely., For frosting, beat canned frosting, butter and confectioners' sugar until well-blended. Cut a hole in the tip of a pastry bag or corner of a food-safe plastic bag; insert #16 star tip and fill with frosting. Placing hearts point side up, use a small amount of frosting to attach brown M&M's for eyes and red M&M's for noses. Use remaining frosting to pipe hats, beards and mustaches. Sprinkle hats with red sugar; add jimmies for mouths.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 299 calories, Fat 15g fat (6g saturated fat), Cholesterol 28mg cholesterol, Sodium 198mg sodium, Carbohydrate 38g carbohydrate (24g sugars, Fiber 0 fiber), Protein 2g protein.