Test Kitchen Thursday - Cut Out Cookies

After last weekend I haven't much felt like baking this week!  I helped mom make close to 30 dozen (no, not a typo that's really thirty dozen) cookies for the Christmas Tree Farm Shop.  We baked, frosted and sprinkled 10 dozen each day for the long weekend.

You would think having made over 300 cookies I would have a great picture - so sorry to disappoint.  With all the baking I never had a chance to grab the camera - plus, as soon as I had a batch done they seemed to disappear out the door. So you'll have to settle for our family tree photo :)

But - it was a FANTASTIC recipe that mom found on Cook's Illustrated's website.  The dough was so soft and easy to roll out and cut nicely.

Here's the recipe:

Makes about 6 dozen 2-inch cookies (we only got about 5 dozen per batch)

Ingredients

• 2 1/2cups unbleached all-purpose flour
• 1/4cup cornstarch
• 2teaspoons baking powder
• Pinch table salt
• 2 egg yolks
• 3tablespoons light cream
• 1 1/2teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1cup granulated sugar
• 12tablespoons unsalted butter , softened
• 4tablespoons vegetable shortening

Instructions

1. 1. Heat oven to 350 degrees. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment or silicone paper.
2. 2. Mix flour, cornstarch, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl. Mix yolks, cream, and vanilla together in a measuring cup.
3. 3. Cream sugar with butter and shortening until lightened and pasty. Beat yolk mixture into creamed butter until just combined.
4. 4. Add dry ingredients and beat until mixture begins to clump together (about 18 to 20 seconds on lowest speed of electric mixer).
5. 5. Turn dough out onto a lightly floured board and knead gently to shape into a soft dough.
6. 6. Working with 1/4 of the dough at a time, roll to about 1/8-inch thick, on a well-floured work surface. Use cookie cutter of your choice to cut out shapes. Using a spatula, transfer cut-outs to prepared baking sheet, placing them about 1 inch apart. Bake at 350 degrees until golden, 10 to 12 minutes. Repeat with remaining dough. Transfer to a wire rack and cool to room temperature.