Buttery Spritz

Prep: 25 min; Bake: 45 min

Makes about 5 dozen cookies



1 cup stick margarine or butter, softened

1/2 cup sugar

2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon almond extract or vanilla

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 large egg

Few drops red or green food color, if desired



1. Heat oven to 400 degrees



2. Mix butter and sugar in large bowl. Stir in

remaining ingredients



3. Place dough in cookie press. Form desired

shapes on ungreased cookie sheet

Butter Tart Squares



Pastry Base:

1/2 cup of butter (softened)

2 tbsps. of icing sugar

1 cup of flour



With your hands, rub together the butter, flour and icing sugar then press into

an 8" pan.



Press up onto the edges of the pan about 1".



Topping:

2 eggs

1 cup of brown sugar

1/3 cup of butter, melted

1 tsp. of vanilla

1 tbsp. of vinegar

1 cup of raisins

1/2 cup your choice of chopped nuts (optional)



Beat the eggs, brown sugar, butter, vanilla, vinegar, raisins and nuts together.



Spread this on top of the base and bake at 350 degrees for 35 - 40 minutes.



Cut into squares and serve.

Candy Cane Butter Cookies







From Country Woman



INGREDIENTS

1 cup butter, softened



1/2 cup sugar



1 egg yolk



1 teaspoon almond extract



1 teaspoon anise extract



1/4 teaspoon salt



2-1/4 cups all-purpose flour



10 to 12 drops red food coloring



SERVINGS 18 CATEGORY Dessert METHOD Baked PREP 20 min. COOK 15 min. TOTAL 35 min.

DIRECTIONS In a mixing bowl, cream butter, sugar, egg yolk, extracts and salt until light and fluffy. Gradually add flour. Remove half of dough from mixing bowl. Add food coloring to remaining half; mix well. Wrap doughs separately in plastic wrap. Refrigerate for 1 hour or up to 2 days.

Shape teaspoonfuls of dough from each portion into 4-in. ropes. Place ropes side by side; press together gently and twist. Place 2 in apart on lightly greased baking sheets. Curve one end to form a cane. Refrigerate for 5 minutes or until firm.

Bake at 350° for 12-15 minutes. Cool for 5 minutes; remove from pan to wire racks to cool completely. Yield: 3 dozen.

Lemon Butter Cookies

Dorie Greenspan (From Paris Sweets; Broadway Books)



Makes about 4 dozen.



8 ounces (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room

temperature

2/3 cup confectioners' sugar, sifted

2 large egg yolks, at room temperature

Pinch of salt

2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

Grated zest of 1 to 1 and 1/2 lemons, to taste

2 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 cup granulated sugar, for coating



Beat butter in the bowl of a mixer fitted with the

paddle attachment at medium speed until it's smooth.

Add confectioners' sugar, and beat until silky. Beat

in 1 of the egg yolks, following it with the salt,

vanilla, and lemon zest. Reduce speed, and add flour,

beating just until it disappears. (It is better to

underbeat than overbeat; if streaks of flour remain,

blend with a spatula.) Turn the dough out onto the

counter, form it into a ball, cut in half, wrap each

half in plastic, and chill until firm, about 30

minutes.



Form each piece of dough into a 11/4-inch-diameter

log. Wrap the logs in plastic, and chill for 2 hours.

(The dough can be wrapped and refrigerated for up to 3

days or frozen for up to 1 month.)



Position racks to divide the oven into thirds, and

preheat to 350 degrees. Line two cookie sheets with

parchment paper.



Whisk the remaining egg yolk in a small bowl until it

is smooth and liquid. Spread the sugar on wax paper.

Remove logs from the refrigerator, unwrap, and brush

lightly with egg yolk. Roll the logs in the sugar,

pressing gently so it sticks. Slice them into

1/4-inch-thick rounds. (If you make them thicker, bake

them longer.) Place on cookie sheets, leaving about

1/2 inch between them, and bake for 12 to 14 minutes,

or until they are set but not browned. (It's fine if

the yolk-brushed edges brown a bit.) Transfer to

cooling racks.



Note: Because the sugar coating will melt, these

cookies are not suitable for freezing.

Texas Sweeties

Cookies:

1 cup butter or margarine, softened
2 cups sugar
3 eggs, beaten
1 tablespoon almond extract
31/2 cups flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt

Glaze:

Confectioners sugar
Milk
Almond extract

Cream butter and sugar. Add eggs and extract. Mix and add remaining
ingredients. Form dough into 11/2-inch balls and place on greased cookie
sheet. Bake at 375 degrees for 10 to 12 minutes. Combine ingredients for
glaze. Glaze cookies when cool.

Makes 3 dozen

Lofthouse Cookies

1 cup butter
2 cups granulated sugar
3 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 1/2 cups sour cream
5-6 cups flour (until desired consistency for rolling)

Cream together butter and sugar. Beat in eggs and sour cream.
Mix in dry ingredients. Cover and refrigerate overnight.Preheat
oven to 425 degrees F.
Roll out dough to a 1/4 to 3/8 inch thickness using a generous
amount of flour. Cut out shapes and bake on an ungreased cookie
sheet for 8 minutes. Cool on wire rack. Frost and decorate as
desired.

Lemon Butter Cookies

Dorie Greenspan (From Paris Sweets; Broadway Books)



Makes about 4 dozen.



8 ounces (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room

temperature

2/3 cup confectioners' sugar, sifted

2 large egg yolks, at room temperature

Pinch of salt

2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

Grated zest of 1 to 1 and 1/2 lemons, to taste

2 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 cup granulated sugar, for coating



Beat butter in the bowl of a mixer fitted with the

paddle attachment at medium speed until it's smooth.

Add confectioners' sugar, and beat until silky. Beat

in 1 of the egg yolks, following it with the salt,

vanilla, and lemon zest. Reduce speed, and add flour,

beating just until it disappears. (It is better to

underbeat than overbeat; if streaks of flour remain,

blend with a spatula.) Turn the dough out onto the

counter, form it into a ball, cut in half, wrap each

half in plastic, and chill until firm, about 30

minutes.



Form each piece of dough into a 11/4-inch-diameter

log. Wrap the logs in plastic, and chill for 2 hours.

(The dough can be wrapped and refrigerated for up to 3

days or frozen for up to 1 month.)



Position racks to divide the oven into thirds, and

preheat to 350 degrees. Line two cookie sheets with

parchment paper.



Whisk the remaining egg yolk in a small bowl until it

is smooth and liquid. Spread the sugar on wax paper.

Remove logs from the refrigerator, unwrap, and brush

lightly with egg yolk. Roll the logs in the sugar,

pressing gently so it sticks. Slice them into

1/4-inch-thick rounds. (If you make them thicker, bake

them longer.) Place on cookie sheets, leaving about

1/2 inch between them, and bake for 12 to 14 minutes,

or until they are set but not browned. (It's fine if

the yolk-brushed edges brown a bit.) Transfer to

cooling racks.



Note: Because the sugar coating will melt, these

cookies are not suitable for freezing. For Christmas,

roll dough in larger-grained, crystal, or colored

sugar.

Italian Cookies

Makes 3 dozen



"This is a delicious moist cookie which is a favorite of ours. You'll

love it."



Ingredients:



1/2 cup butter softened

1 cup white sugar

2 eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

8 ounces ricotta cheese

2 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon salt

2 tablespoons butter softened

2 cups confectioners' sugar

1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 1/2 tablespoons milk



Instructions:



1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease cookie sheets.



2. In a medium bowl, cream together 1/2 cup butter and white sugar

until smooth. Beat in the eggs one at a time, then stir in the vanilla

and ricotta cheese. Combine the flour, baking soda and salt; gradually

stir into the cheese mixture. Drop by rounded teaspoonfuls 2 inches

apart onto the prepared cookie sheets.



3. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes in the preheated oven, or until edges are

golden. Allow cookies to cool on baking sheet for 5 minutes before

removing to a wire rack to cool completely.



4. In a medium bowl, cream together the remaining butter and

confectioners' sugar. Beat in vanilla and milk gradually until a

spreadable consistency is reached. Frost cooled cookies.