Recipe - M And Ms Colorful Sugar Cookie Cutouts

One half cup (1 stick) butter
One fourth cup Solid vegetable shortening
1 cup Granulated sugar
2 lg Eggs
One half teaspoon Vanilla extract
2 Three fourths cup Allpurpose flour
One half teaspoon Baking powder
One fourth teaspoon Baking soda
One fourth teaspoon Salt vanilla icing; (recipe
follows)
M&m's" chocolate mini baking
bits for decoration

In large bowl cream butter, shortening and sugar until light and fluffy;
beat in eggs and vanilla. In medium bowl combine flour, baking powder,
baking soda and salt; blend into creamed mixture. Wrap and refrigerate
dough 2 to 3 hours. Preheat oven to 350øF. Working with half the dough at a
time on lightly floured surface, roll to 1/8inch thickness. Cut into
desired shapes using 3inch cookie cutters. Using rigid spatula carefully
transfer to ungreased cookie sheets. Bake 8 to 10 minutes. Cool completely
on wire racks. Frost with Vanilla Icing and decorate with "M&M's"(r)
Chocolate Mini Baking Bits. Store in tightly covered container. If stacking
cookies, place parchment or waxed paper between layers.

Makes about 4 dozen cookies.

Vanilla Icing: Beat 6 tablespoons butter and 4 cups powdered sugar until
well blended; add One half teaspoon vanilla. Blend in 3 to 4 tablespoons milk,
one tablespoon at a time, until of spreading consistency.

Divide icing evenly into small bowls, one per color. Add food coloring
until mixtures are of desired color.

Short cut: Roll out storebought refrigerated dough and cut out shapes with
cookie cutter. Bake and cool as directed. Add food coloring to instant
frosting; frost cookies.

Decorate with "M&M's"(r) Mini Baking Bits. Store in tightly covered
container. If stacking cookies, place parchment or waxed paper between
layers.

Recipe by 1996 Mars, Incorporated
Posted to brandnamerecipes by Barbrabarbra@pipeline.com on Feb 03, 1998