Chanukah Cut-Out Cookies

As delicious as they look, this is the perfect dough for dreidel and menorah cut-outs.

Recipe Ingredients:

3 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup granulated sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 orange, zested* and juiced
1 large egg, beaten

Cooking Directions:

1. Sift flour, sugar, baking powder and salt into a large bowl. Add vegetable oil, orange juice, orange zest and beaten egg and mix until a dough forms. Divide dough into 4 parts; wrap each in wax paper and refrigerate for 1 hour or until firm enough to roll.
2. Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C). Lightly grease a baking sheet.
3. On a floured surface, roll dough balls out, one at a time, to 1/4-inch thick. Using cookie cutters, cut out desired shapes and transfer to prepared baking sheet. Bake for 10 to 15 minutes or until golden. Cool on wire racks.

Makes 2 dozen cookies.

*Fruit zest is the outermost layer of citrus fruit (usually oranges or lemons) and is removed with a zester, fine grater or vegetable peeler. Only the colored portion of the skin, and not the white pith, is considered the zest.