Cut-Out Cookies

Ingredients

• 1/2 pound (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature

• 1/2 cup packed light brown sugar

• 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting

• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

• Cookie Glaze

• Sprinkles

Milk Bar Life by Christina Tosi

Directions

1. Combine the butter and sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment and cream on high until homogenous, about 3 minutes. Add the flour and salt, mixing until just combined, about 30 seconds.

2. Remove the dough from the bowl and form it into a 1/2-inch-thick rectangle. Wrap in plastic and refrigerate until cold, about 30 minutes.

3. Heat the oven to 350°F.

4. Remove the dough from the refrigerator, unwrap it, and dust with a sprinkling of flour. Roll it out to a 1/4-inch thickness with a rolling pin on a floured surface. Using cookie cutters, cut out shapes and carefully transfer to a lined or nonstick baking sheet. (Work quickly; the colder the dough, the easier it is to cut, transfer, and bake.)

5. Bake the cookies for 8 to 10 minutes, until slightly golden around the edges. Cool completely on the baking sheet before glazing and decorating.

6. With a knife, palette knife, or piping bag fitted with a small round tip, outline or frost the top surface of each cookie. Decorate with sprinkles before the frosting hardens.

COOKIE GLAZE
Makes about 1 cup

I love using this glaze on pound cakes, muffins, and layer cakes in addition to cookies. Plus, the recipe takes all of two seconds. Make it right before you need to use it; it’ll harden up if you make it in advance, though you can revive it with 5-second bursts in the microwave until it is zapped back to glaze state.

Ingredients

• 2 cups confectioners’ sugar

• 1/4 cup whole milk, cranberry juice, champagne, or other festive flavored liquid food coloring (optional)

Directions

1. Put the confectioners’ sugar in a medium bowl. Whisking constantly, slowly stream in the liquid of your choice until smooth.

2. Color the icing if desired. Frost away.