INGREDIENTS:

• 1 cup butter
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 cups all-purpose flour, sifted or stirred before measuring
• dash salt
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• blanched almond halves

DIRECTIONS:

Cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add vanilla. Sift together flour, salt, and baking powder. Stir dry ingredients into butter mixture; mixing until well blended. Shape dough into small balls.

Place on ungreased cookie sheets; press an almond half into the top of each ball. Bake butter cookies at 300° for 20 minutes, or until just lightly browned. Makes 5 to 6 dozen butter cookies.

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 cup butter, room temperature
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon almond extract
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2/3 cup confectioners’ sugar
• 2 cups all-purpose flour, sift before measuring
• colored or granulated sugar, if desired

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat oven to 400°. Shape dough into rolls about 3/4-inch in diameter, then cut in 3/4-inch lengths. Place, ends up, on ungreased baking sheets; press lightly with the bottom of a glass covered with a damp cloth. If desired, sprinkle cookies with colored sugar or granulated sugar. Bake at 400° for about 10 minutes.

Makes about 4 to 5 dozen cookies.

INGREDIENTS:

• 3/4 cup soft butter or margarine
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1 egg yolk
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 cups cake flour - sift before measuring
• chocolate glaze, below

DIRECTIONS:

Cream butter, gradually adding sugar. Add egg yolk and vanilla; beat well. Gradually blend in flour. Refrigerate dough for about 2 hours or until dough can be easily handled. Shape into 2 rolls about 1 1/2 to 2 inches in diameter; wrap each roll in waxed paper and refrigerate overnight (seal in a food storage bag and freeze a portion, if desired).
Preheat oven to 400°.

Slice dough 1/8-inch thick and place on ungreased cookie sheets. Bake at 400° for 8 to 10 minutes, or until edges are lightly browned. Cool cookies then dip half of of each cookie into chocolate glaze (recipe below). If desired, before chocolate sets, sprinkle with chopped nuts or coconut. Makes 5 to 6 dozen cookies.