Buttercream Icing

Why use canned frosting when homemade is sooooooooo easy and yummy?!

Two sticks of margarine or butter (you can use half butter, half shortening for a whiter icing)

2 pounds of powdered sugar

2 teaspoons vanilla

Milk (enough to make it the right consistency)

Beat margarine or butter until fluffy.  Add 2 cups powdered sugar and mix.  Add vanilla and mix well.  Add more sugar and some milk, alternating the two and mixing together until all the sugar has been used and the frosting is the right consistency.

Cut Out Cookies

This is an old Wilton recipe. It's easy to make, the dough is friendly to handle, there's no refrigeration required, and they are yummy iced or not! You can just put sugar sprinkles on them before baking or you can decorate them with icing. Very good recipe! 


Sorry the picture isn't the best--I had a hard time finding one.  The magic wand in the picture was made using two stars with a cookie dowel sandwiched between.  Bake them and ice as desired.  Cute idea for a tea or birthday party!


1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened (I use Imperial margarine)
1 cups granulated sugar
1 egg
1 teaspoons vanilla extract
3 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoon baking powder

Preheat oven to 400ºF.

Beat together butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in egg and extract. In a separate bowl, combine flour and baking powder; add to butter mixture 1 cup at a time, mixing after each addition. Do not chill dough.

On floured surface, roll some dough about 1/4 to 1/8 in. thick. Dip cookie cutter in flour if necessary. Bake cookies on ungreased cookie sheet 6-7 minutes or until cookies are lightly browned.

I use buttercream to ice them.