Fat Santa's

Total Time: 1 hr 12 mins Preparation Time: 1 hr Cook Time: 12 mins

Ingredients

• 1 cup butter (softened)
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 tablespoon milk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• red food coloring paste
• miniature semisweet chocolate chips
• snow frosting (see separate recipe)
• red cinnamon candies

Recipe

• 1 preheat the oven to 325°f in a large bowl beat butter with an electric mixer on medium to high speed for 30 seconds. add sugar; beat until combined, scraping sides of bowl occasionally. beat in milk and vanilla. beat in as much of the flour as you can. stir in remaining flour. remove 1 cup of dough. stir in red paste food coloring into remaining dough to make desired "santa" red color.
• 2 shape each santa by making one 3/4 inch ball and four 1/4 inch balls from the plain dough. from red dough shape onbe 1 inch ball and 5 1/2 inch balls. flatten the 1 inch red ball on an ungreased cookie sheet until 1/2 inch thick. attach four 1/4 red balls for arms and legs. shape remaining 1/2 inch red ball into hat shape. place plain 1/4 inch balls at the ends of arms and legs for hands and feet. add chocolate pieces for eyes and buttons on torso.
• 3 bake in preheated oven for 12-15 minutes or until edges are lightly browned. cool on cookie sheet for 2 minutes. transfer cookies to wire rack; cool completely.
• 4 spoon snow frosting into a decorating bag fitted with a medium star tip. pipe mustache, beard, and a hat band. for nose, attach a cinnamon candy with a small dab of frosting. allow frosting to dry.
• 5 to store: place in layers separated by wax paper in an air tight container; cover. store at room temperature up to 3 days or freeze undecorated up to 3 months. thaw cookies and then decorate.