I bake these every year at Christmas
- Carbohydrate 312.895464146447 g
- Cholesterol 190.566696926841 mg
- Fat 180.549863117664 g
- Fiber 10.0737742658135 g
- Protein 58.1752085249604 g
- Saturated Fat 72.9476033902167 g
- Serving Size 1 1 Serving (1172g)
- Sodium 606.40914601594 mg
- Sugar 302.821689880633 g
- Trans Fat 11.7051843507755 g
- Calories 3137 calories
Step-by-step
- Cream shortening and sugar; add vanilla and beaten eggs.
- Sift together the flour, balking powder and salt.
- Add dry misture to creamed mixture, alternating with milk.
- Chill thoroughly.
- Roll out and cut in desired shapes.
- Frost with powder sugar frosting and sprinkle with colored sugar after baking.
- Bake at 350 degrees for 8 to 10 minutes.
Standard ingredient declarations omit the physical transformation that occurs when solid fat crystals trap microscopic air pockets during mixing. Creaming granulated sugar into shortening creates a cellular matrix that expands upon exposure to heat, producing a stable dough capable of retaining fine decorative contours. Without this aeration phase, cookies spread flat during baking.
Fat Functionality in Structural Integrity
Shortening contains one hundred percent fat without water content, unlike butter which introduces roughly sixteen percent moisture. Eliminating liquid water from the primary fat source prevents gluten strands from forming excessively when mixing three cups of all-purpose flour. Consequently, dough chilled thoroughly retains structural rigidity during rolling. Bake these cutouts at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for eight to ten minutes, watching for pale golden edges that signal starch gelatinization without browning the surface.
- Spreading excessively usually indicates the dough was insufficiently chilled before cutting and baking.
- Tough textures stem from overworking the flour once added, which encourages gluten development.
- Dry doughs often result from packing flour into measuring cups rather than weighing or leveling gently.
