Christmas Cut-Out Cookies

For cookies: 1/3 c Butter

1/3 c Shortening

3/4 c Granulated sugar

1 Egg

1 tb Milk

1 ts Vanilla

2 c All-purpose flour

1 1/2 ts Baking powder

1/2 ts Salt

For frosting to spread: 1 1/2 c Powdered sugar

1 ts Vanilla

2 tb Water

Liquid or paste food -coloring For frosting to pipe: 1 1/2 c Powdered sugar

1 ts Vanilla

1 tb Water

1 tb Butter; softened

Liquid or paste food -coloring Recipe by: St. Louis Post-Dispatch 12/2/96 To make cookies: Beat butter, shortening and sugar until light. Beat in egg, milk and vanilla. Sift together flour, baking powder and salt. Beat dry ingredients into moist a little at a time. Chill for 3 hours. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Using a little dough at a time, roll out to 1/8-inch thickness. Cut with floured cutters and bake 8 to 10 minutes on lightly greased cookie sheets. Let cool. To make frosting to spread: Mix sugar with vanilla, water and your choice of food colorings. For intense color, use paste coloring. Frost cooled cookies. To make frosting to pipe: Mix sugar with vanilla, water and butter. Color as desired. Pipe onto cookies for accent colors. -----