Santa Claus Cookies

• 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
• 1 ½ cups sugar
• 2 eggs
• 2 teaspoons water (at high altitude)
• 2 teaspoons vanilla
• 3 ½ cups flour
• 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
• 1 ½ teaspoons salt
• 1 recipe Buttercream Decorative Frosting
• 3-inch heart-shaped cookie cutter

In the large bowl of an electric mixer, cream butter and sugar until light, about 5 minutes. Add eggs, vanilla, and water (if at high altitude), beating until smooth.

In a medium bowl, stir together flour, baking powder, and salt until well blended. Gradually stir the flour mixture into the creamed mixture with a large spoon until well combined. Transfer the cookie dough to a smaller bowl, cover tightly, and chill several hours or overnight.

When the cookie dough is cold, preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Roll half of the dough 1/8 inch thick on a floured pastry cloth. Cut heart shapes with a cookie cutter dipped in flour and place on ungreased cookie sheets. Bake 6 to 7 minutes until the edges are barely brown. Remove cookies from the cookie sheet while they are still hot and transfer them to a wire rack to cool. When cookies are completely cool, decorate with frosting.

Transfer 2/3 of the frosting to a large piping bag fitted with a large, star tip. Pipe Santa’s beard, mustache, and the pompom on his hat and place a red cinnamon candy in the center of the mustache for his nose. Divide the remaining frosting in half and tint half with red food coloring and half with blue. Place red frosting in a small piping bag fitted with a small star tip for Santa’s hat. Place blue frosting in a small piping bag fitted with a small plain tip for Santa’s eyes.

Yield: 3 dozen cookies