Almond-Topped Shortbread Cookies
- 2 sticks butter, softened
- 1 cup sugar
- 2-1/4 all-purpose flour
- 1 egg yolk
- 1 tsp. vanilla extract
- 1 egg white
- 1/2 c. sliced almonds
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9-12" baking pan or line with parchment.
Beat butter and sugar in a large bowl on low speed until creamy.
Add flour and mix well.
Beat in the egg yolk and vanilla.
Spread the dough into the pan.
Beat the egg white until foamy and spread over the top of the dough.
Sprinkle almonds evenly over the top.
Bake for 25 minutes, until lightly browned.
Cool on a wire rack.
Cut into 1-1/2" squares, which should yield 48 pieces.
Sand Balls (AKA Snow Balls)
- 1 cup butter, softened
- 1/2 c. confectioners' sugar
- 2 tsp. honey
- 2-1/4 cup sifted flour
- 1/4 t. salt
- 1 t. vanilla
Blend together the butter, sugar, and honey.
Add and mix the dry ingredients thoroughly. Add to the butter mixture and add vanilla.
Form into 1" balls. Place on parchment on a cookie sheet and chill until firm, about an hour.
Bake at 375 degrees for 14-17 minutes, until lightly browned. Shake to coat in a small bag of confectioners' sugar until slightly warm and once again when cool. (Two coats of sugar.)
Makes 5 dozen cookies.
Thumbprint Cookies
- 2 cups sifted flour
- 1/2 tsp. salt
- 1 cup butter
- 1/2 c. superfine sugar
- 1-1/2 tsp. vanilla + 1/2 tsp. almond extracts
- Jelly or jam for filling
In a medium bowl, sift the flour and salt together and set aside.
In a mixing bowl, cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the extracts.
Slowly mix in the dry ingredients until just blended.
Chill the dough 1-2 hours.
While the oven is preheating to 325 degrees, shape the dough into 1-inch balls and place on a cookie sheet. Make a deep thumbprint in the center of each. Fill the imprint with deep colored jelly.
After baking, let cool and dust with confectioners' sugar.
Makes 42 cookies.
Peppermint Meltaways
- 2 sticks softened butter
- 1/2 c sifted confectioners' sugar
- 1/2 tsp. peppermint extract
- 1-1/4 .sifted flour with
- 1/2 c. corn starch
In a large mixing bowl, combine butter, confectioners' sugar, and extract. Beat at medium speed, scraping the bowl often, until creamy. Reduce the speed to low and add flour and sifted cornstarch.
Beat until well-mixed. Cover and refrigerate until firm, 30-60 minutes.
Shape rounded teaspoonfuls of dough into 1" balls. Place 2 inches apart on ungreased cookie sheets.
Bake in a preheated 350-degree oven for 12-15 minutes, until the edges are lightly browned. Let stand 1 minute; remove from cookie sheet and cool completely.
Drizzle glaze* over cooled cookies, and immediately sprinkle with bits of crushed candy canes.
Makes about 48 cookies.
*Glaze: Combine 1-1/2 c. sifted confectioners' sugar with 2 T. softened butter, 1-2 T. milk, and 1/2 tsp. peppermint extract. Add 2-3 drops of red food coloring to get a pale pink color.
