• prep: 2 hr
• cook: 3 hr
• total: 5 hr

servings:

Just reading the words "salted brown butter" is enough to tickle your taste buds. But making salted brown butter the flavor base of a cookie will turn your holiday cookie swap into the hottest, hippest party in town. Thankfully, the dough is a dream to roll out, and it's strong enough to keep the shape of the cookie-cutters you use, no matter how intricate. Want to hang them on the tree? Just cut a little hole before baking with the narrow end of a pastry bag tip. Keep this recipe handy for when you've got a houseful of kids on a school break and need a project to get them off their cell phones! Editor's Note: This recipe is part of Gourmet's Modern Menu for Holiday Cookie Craze. Menu also includes Coconut Macaroon Sandwiches with Lime Curd and Pistachio Cranberry Oatmeal Icebox Cookies .

• 1 1/2 sticks (3/4 cup) unsalted butter, cut into pieces
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/4 cup cornstarch
• 3/4 cup packed light brown sugar
• 1 large egg
• 3/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 (1-pound) box confectioners' sugar
• 4 teaspoons powdered egg whites (not reconstituted), such as Just Whites, or meringue powder (see Cooks' notes)
• 1/3 cup water
• 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
• Decorative sugars and or salts, if desired
• Wax paper and parchment paper; rolling pin rings (optional, but really helpful; see Cooks' notes:); 3- to 4-inch holiday cookie cutters; several small, heavy-duty sealable plastic bags (not pleated), if icing cookies

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