Holiday Cookies: Decorating Cookies

These oatmeal cookies from the folks at King Arthur Flour offer a fresh take on cutout cookies intended for decorating, which traditionally are either sugar cookies or gingerbread.

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CHEWY OATMEAL DECORATING COOKIES

Start to finish: 1 1/2 hours

Makes 6 1/2 dozen cookies

2 sticks (1 cup) unsalted butter

3/4 cup packed light or dark brown sugar

1 large egg

2 teaspoon vanilla extract

3/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon ginger

1 cup old-fashioned rolled oats

1/2 cup whole-wheat flour

2 cups all-purpose flour

In a medium bowl, use an electric mixer to beat the butter and sugar until smooth. Add the egg, vanilla, salt, baking powder, cinnamon and ginger. Beat until smooth.

Scrape the bottom and sides, then beat in the oats and both flours. The mixture may look dry at first, but will come together. Divide the dough into two pieces, wrap each in plastic and refrigerate for 30 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 350 F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.

Working with one piece of dough at a time, roll it into a circle about 14 inches around. Use cookie cutters to cut out cookies, rerolling and cutting the scraps. Arrange the cookies on the prepared baking sheets. They can be close; they don't spread.

Bake the cookies, reversing the pans midway through (top to bottom, bottom to top), 12 to 15 minutes (less time for softer cookies, longer for crispier). Transfer cookies to a wire rack to cool. Repeat with remaining dough.

Decorate as desired.

(Recipe from King Arthur Flour)