Ingredients

• 1/3  cup butter (no substitutes)
• 1/3  cup shortening
• 3/4  cup sugar
• 1  teaspoon baking powder
•   Dash salt
• 1  egg
• 1  tablespoon milk
• 1  teaspoon vanilla
• 2  cups all-purpose flour
•   Snow Frosting
•   Powdered Sugar Icing

Directions

1. Beat butter and shortening in a large mixing bowl with an electric mixer on medium to high speed for 30 seconds. Add sugar, baking powder, and salt; beat till combined. Beat in egg, milk, and vanilla. Beat in as much of the flour you can with the mixer. Stir in remaining flour with a wooden spoon. Cover dough and refrigerate about 3 hours or till easy to handle.

2. Roll dough on a lightly floured surface till 1/8 inch thick. Cut as desired. Place shapes 1 inch apart on an ungreased cookie sheet.

3. Bake in a 375 degree F oven for 7 to 8 minutes or till the bottoms are lightly browned. Cool 1 minute on cookie sheet. Transfer cookies to wire racks and cool completely.

Diamond Santas: Cut Santa Cutouts dough into diamonds with a 2-1/2 to 3-1/2 inch cookie cutter. To make Santa's hat, bend the top point of each diamond to the side. Bake and cool as directed. Prepare Powdered Sugar Icing. Divide icing in half; place each half in a small bowl. Stir red paste food coloring into one half.

For hat, dip the top of each cookie almost halfway into red icing. Place cookies on a wire rack; sprinkle coconut on edge of hat for fur trim and at the tip for pom-pom. Let icing set. For beard, dip bottom of each cookie almost halfway into plain icing. Sprinkle beard with coconut. With small dabs of frosting, attach a cinnamon candy in center for a nose and two miniature semisweet chocolate pieces for eyes. Makes 40.

Powdered Sugar Icing: Combine 4 cups sifted powdered sugar, 1 teaspoon vanilla, and enough milk (about 3 to 4 tablespoons) to make of drizzling consistency. Color as desired with paste food coloring.