Bridal Shower Sugar Cookies

We made these sugar cookies at our bridal shower.  They were a fun addition to our food table.  

Sugar Cookies:

3 1/2 - 4 1/2 cups flour

2 tsp. baking powder

1 tsp. salt

2/3 cup shortening

2/3 cup butter

1-1/2 cup sugar

2 eggs

2 tsp. vanilla

In a small bowl, whisk together: flour, baking powder and salt. In a separate bowl, cream together shortening, butter and sugar. Add eggs and vanilla and mix until fluffy. Add flour mixture and mix just until blended. Add it a little at a time and don't let the dough get too dry and stiff. The dough will be soft.  If the dough is too soft place in refrigerator for a couple of hours before rolling out.  Very gently roll your dough out to 1/2" thickness and cut into heart shapes.  I like to use a pastry cloth when rolling out my dough.   Place cut-out cookies  on a cookie sheet.  Bake at 350 degrees for 10-12 minutes. Do not over bake. (I always prefer to under bake my cookies and then let them cool...it makes them so soft and yummy.  Immediately when the cookies come out of the oven stick a skewer stick up though the center of the cookie up to the top of the cookie.  Let the cookies completely cool.  Frost and decorate.

Butter Cream Frosting:

3 sticks of butter softened

2/3 cup shortening

5-7 tbs heavy cream

2 tsp vanilla

2 lbs powdered sugar

1-3 tbs corn syrup

Mix shortening and butter together on medium until smooth.  Scrape down sides.  Turn mixer to low and add cream and vanilla.  Scrape down sides.  With mixer on low, slowly pour sugar into the mixture (you might need to increase the speed as you go.)  Once the sugar is mixed, scrape again and mix in corn syrup.

You may need more or less cream.  The corn syrup adds elasticity and shine to the frosting and is optional.