Cut-out cookie recipe:
1/2 cup (3 1/4 oz.)vegetable shortening
8 Tbs. (1 stick, 4 oz.) butter
1/2 cup (4 oz.) brown sugar, firmly packed
1/2 cup (3 1/2 oz.) granulated sugar
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. baking powder
2 tsp. vanilla extract
1 large egg
2 1/2 cups (10 1/2 oz.) unbleached flour
1/2 cup (2 oz.) white rice flour or cornstarch
Beat together the shortening, butter, sugars, salt, baking powder, and vanilla. When well blended, add the egg, beating until fluffy. Whisk the flours and/or cornstarch together and stir in. Divide the dough in half, form into disks, wrap well, and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
Remove the chilled dough from the refrigerator and roll it to 1/8 inch thick on a lightly floured surface. Cut with cookie or biscuit cutters, place the cookies on lightl greased or parchment-lined baking sheets, and bake them for 8 to 10 minutes, until they're very lightly browned on the edges. Remove them from the oven and cool on racks.