Halloween Sugar Cookies

Directions

1. In a big bowl, beat the shortening and granulated sugar together until the mixture is light and airy, which should take roughly 3 minutes.
2. Crack in the eggs one by one, mixing thoroughly after each egg.
3. Pour in the sour cream and vanilla extract, then beat until everything is well blended.
4. Now add the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and nutmeg. Mix until a dough forms. It should feel tacky but not sticky; if it's too sticky, sprinkle in a bit more flour.
5. Cover the dough and chill it in the fridge for a minimum of 30 minutes, but it can stay there overnight if you prefer.
6. When you're ready to shape the cookies, split the cold dough into two equal portions.
7. On a surface dusted with flour, roll out one portion of dough until it's about half an inch thick.
8. Use cookie cutters to stamp out shapes and transfer them to an ungreased baking sheet. Collect the leftover dough, reroll, and cut more cookies. Do the same with the second dough portion.
9. Bake at 350°F for 7 to 10 minutes. The tops will stay pale while the bottoms become lightly golden. Allow the cookies to rest on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely.
10. Once fully cool, decorate these cookies with your preferred buttercream frosting.
11. Keep any leftover cookies in an airtight container, or freeze unfrosted cookies for extended storage.