2 c. margarine
1-1/3 c. sugar
1-1/2 tsp. salt
2 tsp. vanilla
2/3 c. eggs (about 4) *
6 c. sifted flour
Cream all but flour together. Add flour after mixture is well creamed. Cover and chill at least 2 hours. Take out in small amounts and roll about 1/8" thick. Cut with holiday cookie cutters (see Note below). Line cookie sheet with foil and grease lightly.
Bake at 350 deg. 9-12 minutes, until pale brown around edges only. Frost with butter icing (section 10, page 8).
* For pink or blue dough, use 2/3 c. egg whites only and add 7 c. flour instead of 6.
NOTE: To frost Santa faces, frost with white frosting, make eyebrows and beard by piping frosting on with star tip. Paint eyes with blue color in center. Sprinkle nose and cheeks with red sugar. Do same with cap, sprinkling red sugar. Pipe star on tip of cap for "white tassle". Makes about 60 Santa cookies.
For trees, bells, etc., frost and then sprinkle with colored sugar.