Pistachio Cutouts

During Hanukkah, it's traditional to partake in homemade treats to commemorate the annual Jewish celebration of freedom. These specially shaped shortbread-style cookies, with decorative icing, help pass the venerated tradition from generation to generation.

Yield: 30 cookies; 1/2 cup icing

Ingredients

Cookies

• 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 3 tablespoons granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup margarine (at least 80% vegetable oil)
• 1/3 cup finely chopped pistachio nuts

Confectioners' Sugar Icing

• 1 cup sifted confectioners' sugar
• 1 tablespoon orange juice + more, if needed
• 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract

Instructions

1. Heat oven to 325 degrees F.

Cookies

1. n a medium mixing bowl stir together flour and sugar.
2. Using a pastry cutter, cut in margarine until mixture resembles fine crumbs and starts to cling.
3. Stir in pistachios
4. Form mixture into ball. Knead just until smooth. Wrap dough. Chill for 1 hour or until easy to handle.
5. On a lightly floured surface roll the dough into a 10 x 6 inch rectangle. Cut the dough with decorative 2-inch cookie cutters or slice into thirty 2 x 1 inch strips. Place cut shapes or strips 1 inch apart on an ungreased cookie sheet.
6. Bake for 18 to 22 minutes or until bottoms are lightly browned.
7. Cool on sheet for 5 minutes.
8. Transfer to wire rack; cool for 30 minutes.
9. Decorate as desired with Powdered Sugar Icing.
10. Store in a tightly covered container.

Confectioners' Sugar Icing

1. In a large mixing bowl combine confectioners' sugar, orange juice and vanilla extract. Stir in additional juice, 1 teaspoon at a time, until the icing reaches piping consistency. If desired, tint a portion of the icing with food coloring.