Soft Italian Sugar Cookies

Total Time: 50 mins Preparation Time: 20 mins Cook Time: 30 mins

Ingredients

• 3/4 cup shortening
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 3 eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 3 cups flour
• 3 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 cup milk
• 2 tablespoons butter, melted
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar
• food coloring (optional)
• colored crystal sugar (optional)

Recipe

• 1 in a large mixing bowl, cream together shortening and sugar.
• 2 beat in eggs and vanilla.
• 3 combine flour, baking powder, and salt together (i use a whisk) and gradually add to the creamed mixture and mix well.
• 4 shape dough into 1-1/2" balls.
• 5 place 1 inch apart on ungreased baking sheets.
• 6 bake at 400 degrees for 8-10 minutes or until lightly browned.
• 7 remove to wire racks to cool after 2 minutes.
• 8 ****for icing****.
• 9 in a small bowl, combine the milk, butter, vanilla and confectioners' sugar until smooth.
• 10 tint with food coloring (i prefer the gel) if desired.
• 11 ****decorating****.
• 12 dip the cooled cookies into the icing.
• 13 sprinkle with colored sugars if desired.
• 14 place on waxed paper until icing is set.