Old fashioned sugar cookies

---------- Recipe via Meal-Master (tm) v8.05
  
       Title: Old Fashioned Sugar Cookies
  Categories: Cookies
       Yield: 60 servings
  
   3 1/4 c  All-purpose flour
   1 1/2 c  Sugar
     2/3 c  Shortening
       2    Eggs
   2 1/2 ts Double-acting baking powder
       2 tb Milk
       1 ts Vanilla extract
     1/2 ts Salt
       1    Egg white*
            Topping-
            Finely chopped nuts or
            Granulated sugar
  
      * slightly beaten with 1 Tablespoon water  Let your children pick out
   their favorite cookie cutters for these sweet sugar cookies.
      ln a large bowl, measure all ingredients except egg white and topping.
   With mixer at medium speed, beat until well mixed scraping sides of bowl.
   Mixture will be crumbly.Shape dough into ball and wrap with waxed paper;
   refrigerate for 2 to 3 hours until easy to handle.
      When ready to start baking, preheat oven to 400 and lightly grease
   cookie sheets.  On lightly floured surface, roll half of dough at a time,
   keeping rest refrigerated. For crisp cookies, roll dough paper- thin. For
   softer cookies roll out dough 1/8 to 1/4-inch thick. With floured cookie
   cutters, cut dough into various shapes Reroll dough trimmings and continue
   to cut shapes.
      Place cookies 1/2-inch apart on cookie sheets. To glaze, brush tops of
   cookies with the beaten egg white and water mixture Sprinkle cookies with
   finely chopped nuts or granulated sugar. Bake for 8 minutes at 400 or until
   very light brown. Remove cookies to rack; cool completely. Yield: 5 dozen.
      Larry Rosenberg, author of Muffins & Cupcakes (published by The American
   Cooking Guild), Fairview, NJ.
  
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