Sugar Cookie Stockings Recipe

  Amount  Measure       Ingredient -- Preparation Method
--------  ------------  --------------------------------
                        Mary's Sugar Cookies -- (see recipe)
                        Food colors, if desired
                        Thin Cookie Glaze -- (recipe follows)
                        OR
     2/3           cup  Decorator's Frosting -- (see recipe)
                       
                        THIN COOKIE GLAZE
  2               cups  powdered sugar
  2        tablespoons  milk
     1/4      teaspoon  almond extract
  4              drops  red or green food color (4 to 5 drops)
     1/3           cup  (about) powdered sugar

Prepare and refrigerate dough for Mary's Sugar Cookies as directed,
tinting dough with desired food colors.

Heat oven to 375º. Roll one third of dough at a time 3/16 inch thick on
lightly floured cloth-covered surface. Cut into 6- to 8-inch stockings.

Place stockings on ungreased cookie sheet. Cut accent dough (toes, heels, cuffs) to place on stockings if desired. Bake about 9 minutes or until light brown. Cool 1 to 2 minutes; remove from cookie sheet to wire rack. Cool completely. Spread with Thin Cookie Glaze.

THIN COOKIE GLAZE:

Mix 2 cups powdered sugar, the milk, and almond extract. Tint half of the mixture with food color. Add additional milk, a few drops at a time, if necessary, or until desired spreading consistency. Place baked cookies on wire rack. Pour small amount of tinted glaze over each cookie; spread to edge with spatula. Add enough powdered sugar to remaining glaze to make frosting that can be used in a decorating bag and will hold its shape. Place in decorating bag with #2 writing tip. Decorate cookies as desired. Makes enough to glaze and decorate 8 to 10 stockings.

Decorator's Frosting

  Amount  Measure       Ingredient -- Preparation Method
--------  ------------  --------------------------------
  2               cups  powdered sugar
     1/2      teaspoon  vanilla
  2        tablespoons  milk
                        OR
  2        tablespoons  half-and-half
                        Food coloring, if desired

Stir together 2 cups powdered sugar, 1/2 teaspoon vanilla and 2
tablespoons milk or half-and-half until smooth and spreadable. This recipe makes enough to frost 3 to 5 dozen cookies. Add more milk for a thinner frosting or to create a glaze. Frosting can be tinted with food color. Stir in liquid food color, 1 drop at a time, until frosting is the desired color. If intense, vivid frosting color is desired, use paste food color. Why? Because you would have to use too much liquid color to get vivid color, and using too much liquid color will break down the frosting, causing it to separate and look curdled.