Instructions: MAKES 24 COOKIES OVO-LACTO

For decorating, make two batches of icing; leave one untinted and divide the second batch into thirds and tint each third a different shade using food colors.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Divide dough in half. Rewrap one half and refrigerate. Put remaining dough between two sheets of wax paper and flatten slightly. Roll from center outward until dough is 1/4-inch thick. Remove top sheet of wax paper and reserve. Cut dough with shaped cookie cutters. Carefully lift wax paper and gently flip cookies, one at a time, onto hand or small spatula and peel off paper.

Transfer to ungreased cookie sheets, placing 2 inches apart. Reroll scraps between same two pieces of wax paper and cut additional shapes. Repeat with remaining dough.

Bake until golden but not browned, about 10 minutes. Remove from oven. Let cookies rest on sheets 5 minutes, then remove cookies to wire racks to cool completely.

Icing: In medium bowl, beat together sugar, extract and milk until well-blended. Cover surface with plastic wrap until ready to use. When cookies are completely cool, frost and decorate as desired. (Store iced cookies in airtight container at cool room temperature up to 5 days.)

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