Who doesn’t have fond memories of sugar cookies?  Either baking them or eating them, I’m willing to bet most people can relate. My kids would ask me to make mine all the time when they were younger.   I gave up “making sugar cookies” for Lent one year, just to get a break!  This is the recipe that started my cookie cutter collection.

I have an entire drawer dedicated to my cookie cutter collection.

I use a simple recipe that people rave about.  Literally!  I used to sell these as a fundraiser in December and my co-workers & friends would buy tons of them.  My record was 55 dozen Almond Sugar Cookies.  I gave up the fundraiser 2 years ago when we moved.  Now I’m getting online requests from my friends to sell them by mail order.  That day may come, but it is not now.  Here’s the recipe instead!

The almond sugar cookies were our biggest seller.

Almond Sugar Cookies  (makes two dozen cookies)

Just a few simple ingredients.

• 1/2 cup unsalted, softened butter
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 large egg
• 2 teaspoons almond extract
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• colored sprinkles, colored sugar, icing or glaze (recipe to follow)

With an electric mixer, beat the butter with the sugar until blended.  Add the egg and extracts and beat for two minutes.  Add the flour and salt and beat until well combined.  The dough will hold together when it is ready.  Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface and shape into ball, then flatten.  Wrap the flattened dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least one hour.

Preheat the oven to 350°.  Using a floured rolling pin, roll 1/2 of the dough on a well-floured surface until about a 1/4” thick.  Cut into desired shapes and arrange about 1” apart on parchment covered cookie sheets or silicone baking mats on cookie sheets.  Repeat with remaining dough.  If using sprinkles or colored sugar, apply them prior to baking.

Bake for 12 minutes or until the edges are lightly golden.  Remove the sheet from the oven and let the cookies stand 1 minute on the cookie sheet before removing them to a wire rack to cool completely.

To glaze the cookies, blend 1/2 cup confectioners’ sugar, 1 1/2 tablespoons water and enough food coloring to obtain the desired color.  Mix thoroughly.  Brush the tops of the cooled cookies with the sugar mixture, then let them dry before storing in an airtight container.

This recipe can be doubled.  The dough can be frozen then thawed when needed.  The baked, unglazed cookies can be frozen if they are wrapped tightly in plastic wrap then placed in an airtight container or a bag in the freezer. Thaw them before glazing or applying icing.  (I haven’t tried to freeze cookies covered with sprinkles or colored sugar.)

Santa will love these!  ~Linda

Almond Sugar Cookies  (makes two dozen cookies)

• 1/2 cup unsalted, softened butter
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 large egg
• 2 teaspoons almond extract
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• colored sprinkles, colored sugar, icing or glaze (recipe to follow)

With an electric mixer, beat the butter with the sugar until blended.  Add the egg and extracts and beat for two minutes.  Add the flour and salt and beat until well combined.  The dough will hold together when it is ready.  Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface and shape into ball, then flatten.  Wrap the flattened dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least one hour.

Preheat the oven to 350°.  Using a floured rolling pin, roll 1/2 of the dough on a well-floured surface until about a 1/4” thick.  Cut into desired shapes and arrange about 1” apart on parchment covered cookie sheets or silicone baking mats on cookie sheets.  Repeat with remaining dough.  If using sprinkles or colored sugar, apply them prior to baking.

Bake for 12 minutes or until the edges are lightly golden.  Remove the sheet from the oven and let the cookies stand 1 minute on the cookie sheet before removing them to a wire rack to cool completely.

To glaze the cookies, blend 1/2 cup confectioners’ sugar, 1 1/2 tablespoons water and enough food coloring to obtain the desired color.  Mix thoroughly.  Brush the tops of the cooled cookies with the sugar mixture, then let them dry before storing in an airtight container.

This recipe can be doubled.  The dough can be frozen then thawed when needed.  The baked, unglazed cookies can be frozen if they are wrapped tightly in plastic wrap then placed in an airtight container or a bag in the freezer. Thaw them before glazing or applying icing.  (I haven’t tried to freeze cookies covered with sprinkles or colored sugar.)