Roly-Poly Santas

A favorite during the holidays, these Santa cookies are simply adorable. Press the balls of dough against each other as you flatten them, so they wont separate after baking.

Yields: 12 cookies
Prep: 50 mins
Bake: 12 mins 325°F per batch
Cool: 2 mins per batch

Ingredients

• 1 cup butter, softened
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 tablespoon milk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• Red paste food coloring
• Miniature semisweet chocolate pieces
• 1 recipe Snow Frosting
• Red cinnamon candies

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. In a large mixing bowl beat butter with an electric mixer on medium to high speed for 30 seconds. Add sugar. Beat until combined, scraping bowl occasionally. Beat in milk and vanilla until combined. Beat in as much of the flour as you can with the mixer. Stir in any remaining flour. Remove 1 cup of the dough. Tint the remaining dough with red food coloring.
2. For each cookie, shape red dough into one 1-inch ball and five 1/2-inch balls. Shape plain dough into one 3/4-inch ball and four 1/4-inch balls. Place the red 1-inch ball on an ungreased cookie sheet; flatten until 1/2 inch thick. Attach the plain 3/4-inch ball for head; flatten until 1/2 inch thick. Attach four of the red 1/2-inch balls for arms and legs; attach the plain 1/4-inch balls for hands and feet. Shape and attach the remaining red 1/2-inch ball for a hat. Repeat with remaining dough, placing cookies 2 inches apart. Add chocolate pieces for eyes and buttons.
3. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes or until edges are lightly browned. Cool on cookie sheet for 2 minutes. Carefully transfer to a wire rack; cool.
4. Decorate cookies with Snow Frosting as desired. Attach cinnamon candies with small dabs of frosting for noses. Let stand until frosting is set.

TO STORE: Place cookies (do not decorate if freezing) in layers separated by waxed paper in an airtight container; cover. Store at room temperature for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 3 months. If frozen, thaw and decorate as directed in Step 4.

Snow Frosting

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup shortening
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
• 2 1/3 cups powdered sugar
• 1 - 3 tablespoons milk
• Paste food coloring

Directions

1. In a small mixing bowl beat shortening and vanilla with an electric mixer on medium speed for 30 seconds. Gradually beat in 1-1/3 cups of the powdered sugar until smooth. Beat in 1 tablespoon of the milk. Gradually beat in the remaining powdered sugar and enough milk to make frosting a piping consistency. Tint frosting as desired with food coloring.