Cut It Out! • See what some baking pros can do with a simple cookie cutter.

– for –B ourbon

Combine ½ cup each sugar and water, 4 allspice berries, 1 star anise pod and 4 slices fresh ginger in a saucepan and bring to a boil, stirring occasionally. Let cool, then strain. Shake 3 ounces bourbon, 2 ounces apple cider, 1 ounce each of the spiced syrup, orange juice and lemon juice and 3 dashes of orange bitters in a shaker with ice; strain into 2 glasses filled with ice. Top each with ¼ cup red wine. Garnish with cinnamon sticks.

Pour 1 cup ruby red grapefruit juice into a pitcher. Wrap 2 tablespoons grated fresh ginger in a piece of cheesecloth or a clean kitchen towel and squeeze the juice into the pitcher. Stir in two 12-ounce bottles grapefruit beer, one 12-ounce bottle grapefruit soda and ¾ cup bourbon. Divide among 4 glasses filled with ice. Garnish with crystallized ginger.

in partnership with Shake 2 ounces each bourbon, cranberry juice and orange juice in a shaker with ice; strain into a glass filled with ice and garnish with cranberries.

Special 6 Section Cook ie 6 holiday sweets

These truffles are made out of crushed cookies! Have a Ball!

If our holiday predictions are accurate, many of you are searching online for “Oreo balls” right about now. The treats have become hugely popular around the holidays, and making them couldn’t be easier:

Just empty a 14-ounce package of Oreos into a resealable plastic bag, smash the cookies into fine crumbs with a rolling pin and mix with an 8-ounce package of softened cream cheese. Form into small balls, roll in nonpareils and refrigerate until firm, at least 30 minutes. Turn the page for more cookie fun! —Cory Fernandez

is the perfect shape for Mrs. Claus, says Lan. “You can hide the stem by swirling frosting into a bun for her hair.”

CUT

Reimagine your cookie cutters to make some new Christmas shapes! Four competitors from Food Network’s Christmas Cookie Challenge show us how.

is the hair: Add more to fill empty spaces so the cookie looks less like a gingerbread person and more like a unicorn.”

FOOD PHOTOS: RALPH SMITH; FOOD STYLING: CHRISTINE ALBANO; GHOST COOKIE CUTTER: ANNCLARKCOOKIECUTTERS.COM. LESLIE SRODEK-JOHNSON

important: A Christmas tree is pointy, but Santa’s beard is fluffy and soft.”

a perfect elf, but make sure you outline the face and ears, Mary says, and pay extra attention to the hat. “It’s the elf’s signature feature.”

ACTIVE: 45 min l TOTAL: 2 hr 45 min (plus cooling) MAKES: 24 to 36

2½ cups cake flour, plus more for dusting 1 teaspoon baking powder ¼ teaspoon salt 2 sticks unsalted butter, at room temperature ¾ cup granulated sugar 1 large egg 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract Royal icing, for decorating (see below)

1. Sift the cake flour, baking powder and salt onto a piece of parchment paper or into a medium bowl. Beat the butter and granulated sugar in a large bowl with a mixer on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Beat in the egg and vanilla until combined. Reduce the mixer speed to low and beat in the flour mixture in two batches until just combined. Divide the dough between 2 pieces of plastic wrap; shape into disks. Wrap and refrigerate until firm, at least 1 hour. 2. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. Working with 1 disk of dough at a time, roll out the dough on a floured surface, dusting with flour as needed, until about ⅛ inch thick. Cut out shapes with 2- to 4-inch cookie cutters; arrange 2 inches apart on the baking sheets. (If the dough becomes too soft as you work, return to the refrigerator until firm.) Gather the scraps and refrigerate until firm; reroll once to cut out more cookies. Refrigerate the cutouts 30 minutes. 3. Position racks in the upper and lower thirds of the oven and preheat to 350˚. Bake, switching the pans halfway through,

R OYAL I CI NG

Whisk 1 pound (about 3¾ cups) confectioners’ sugar and 2 tablespoons meringue powder in a large bowl. Add 5 tablespoons water and beat with a mixer on medium-high speed until soft peaks form, adding up to 1 more tablespoon water if necessary. Tint with food coloring. Lay a piece of plastic wrap directly on the surface of the icing until ready to use to prevent it from drying out.

HOW TO FLOOD To flood, or cover cookies completely with royal icing, start with icing that’s fairly thick (the consistency of Greek yogurt). Using a piping bag or resealable plastic bag, pipe a border around the edge of the cookies. Thin the remaining icing with a few drops of water and use it to fill within the border. Let harden overnight.

HOW TO MAKE

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3 Make cookies with a pumpkin cookie cutter. Flood the bottom half with icing for the face; flood the top with icing for the hair. Let set, then add details to the hair and face with more icing. Use sprinkles or sugar pearls for the holly.