Snowflake Cookies - Great for Decorations!

Prep: 2 hours (including decorating); Cook: 12 minutes; Chill: 2 hours.

Yield: Makes 20-24 (3- to 4-inch) cookies (serving size: 1 cookie)

Ingredients
COOKIES
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup white whole-wheat flour or whole-wheat flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
2/3 cup sugar
3 tablespoons canola oil
1/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
2 large egg whites
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Meringue Icing

Preparation
In a medium bowl, combine flours, baking powder, and salt.

In large bowl, combine sugar, oil, and butter; beat with a stand or hand mixer at low speed until blended (about 3 minutes). Increase speed to high; beat until light and creamy (about 3 minutes), occasionally scraping side of bowl with rubber spatula. Reduce speed to low; add egg whites and vanilla, beating until smooth. Add flour mixture to sugar mixture; beat just until blended.

Divide dough in half; flatten each half into a disk. Wrap each disk with plastic wrap; refrigerate 2 hours or until dough is firm enough to roll.

Preheat oven to 375°. Using a floured rolling pin, roll 1 dough disc to 1/8 inch thick on a lightly floured surface. Use cookie cutters to cut out as many cookies as possible. With a lightly floured spatula, place cookies 1 inch apart on an ungreased large baking sheet.

Bake cookies until lightly browned (about 10-12 minutes). Transfer cookies to wire rack; cool. Top with meringue icing. Repeat procedure with remaining dough and trimmings.