Savory Christmas Cutouts Recipes

Steps:

• In a large bowl, combine 3 cups flour, sugar, yeast, lemon zest and salt. In a small saucepan, heat milk and water to 120°-130°. Stir in oil and lemon juice. Add to dry ingredients; beat until smooth. Stir in enough remaining flour to form a soft dough. , Turn onto a floured surface; knead until smooth and elastic, 6-8 minutes. Place in a greased bowl, turning once to grease the top. Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 1 hour. , Meanwhile, in a small bowl, beat 4 ounces cream cheese until smooth. Add the mayonnaise, 1 teaspoon lemon juice, lemon pepper and parsley; mix well. Stir in crabmeat if desired; set aside. , Turn dough onto a lightly floured surface; roll out into a 22x14-in. rectangle. Spread prepared filling to within 1/2-in. of edges. Roll up jelly-roll style, starting with a long side; pinch seams to seal. Cut into 22 slices., Cover a baking sheet with foil and grease well. Place 1 slice near the top center of prepared baking sheet. Place 2 slices in the second row with sides touching. Repeat, adding 1 slice per row, until tree has 5 rows. Repeat last row. Center remaining 2 slices below last row for the trunk. Cover and let rise until doubled, about 30 minutes. , Bake at 325° until golden brown, 25-30 minutes. Carefully transfer rolls with foil onto a wire rack to cool completely., Meanwhile, in a small bowl, beat remaining cream cheese and lemon juice until smooth. Cut a small hole in the corner of pastry bag; fill with cream cheese mixture. Pipe onto rolls for garland. , Cut peppers in half vertically; remove stems and seeds. Using a 1-1/2-in. star-shaped cookie cutter, cut out stars from peppers; place on tree. Carefully remove a 2-in. piece of peel from lemon (save lemon for another use). With a 2-in. star-shaped cookie cutter, cut out a star from peel; place on top of tree. Remove foil before serving. Refrigerate leftovers.

Steps:

• In large bowl, mix 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar, the butter, 1 teaspoon vanilla, almond extract and egg until well blended. Stir in flour, baking soda and cream of tartar. Cover and refrigerate at least 3 hours.
• Heat oven to 375°F. Divide dough in half. On lightly floured surface, roll each half of dough 3/16 inch thick. Cut into assorted shapes with cookie cutters, or cut around patterns traced from storybook illustrations. If cookies are to be hung as decorations, make a hole in each 1/4 inch from top with end of plastic straw. Place on ungreased cookie sheet.
• Bake 7 to 8 minutes or until light brown. Remove from cookie sheet to cooling rack. Cool completely, about 30 minutes.
• In medium bowl, beat all frosting ingredients until smooth and spreadable. Tint with food color if desired. Frost and decorate cookies as desired with frosting and colored sugars.

Steps:

• Cream butter and confectioners' sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in egg and extracts. In another bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda and cream of tartar; gradually beat into creamed mixture. Shape into a disk; wrap in plastic. Refrigerate until firm enough to roll, 2-3 hours., Preheat oven to 375°. On a lightly floured surface, roll dough to 1/8-in. thickness. Cut with floured 2-in. cookie cutters. Place on ungreased baking sheets., Bake until edges begin to brown, 7-8 minutes. Remove from pan to wire racks; cool completely. , For frosting, beat confectioners' sugar, butter, vanilla and enough milk to reach desired consistency; tint with food coloring if desired. Spread over cookies. Decorate as desired.

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
• Combine sun-dried tomato pesto and goat cheese in a small bowl and stir well.
• Unroll 1 puff pastry sheet onto the prepared baking sheet. Cut away 2 strips at the bottom of the sheet to form a tree trunk, about 1 inch wide and tall. Cut diagonally to the top of the puff pastry sheet to create a long triangular shape, removing excess pastry on either side.
• Spread a thin layer of the pesto mixture over the pastry, all the way to the sides. Sprinkle 1 tablespoon Pecorino-Romano cheese on top.
• Roll up the second puff pastry sheet and place at the tip of the triangle. Unroll carefully towards the bottom. Press down lightly and carefully cut away the sides to match the first triangle. Remove excess pastry.
• Cut 2/3-inch thick branches into the sides of the triangle from both sides, leaving a space lengthwise in the center all the way from the trunk to the tip. Twist the branches away from you, trying to get in 2 turns on the lower branches. Continue moving up the tree, twisting away from you as you go.
• Brush the entire tree with beaten egg. Sprinkle with remaining 1 tablespoon of Pecorino-Romano cheese and dried oregano.
• Bake in the preheated oven until deep golden brown, about 20 minutes. Let cool on the baking sheet slightly.

Steps:

• Combine the first five ingredients. Whisk together remaining ingredients; add to molasses mixture and mix well. Refrigerate, covered, 3 hours or overnight., Preheat oven to 375°. On a lightly floured surface, roll out dough to 1/8-in. thickness. Cut into desired shapes with floured 2-in. cookie cutters; place 1 in. apart on greased baking sheets. Bake until set, 10-12 minutes. Remove to wire racks to cool.