Cookie recipes

© St. Petersburg Times, published July 27, 2000

Almond Cookies

• 2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1 egg
• 1 teaspoon almond extract
• Royal icing (recipe follows)

Cut it out! Those picture-perfect cookies on magazine covers are, of course, made by professionals. We set out to see if a group of kids could make something just as wonderful. They turned it into a fun and tasty experiment. The pitfalls of cut-outs You aren't alone if making cut-out cookies gives you fits.

Mix flour, baking powder and salt in bowl.

Beat butter in large bowl until smooth. Add sugar; beat until fluffy, 2 minutes. Beat in egg and extract. On low speed, beat in flour mixture until dough forms.

Pat dough into 1-inch-thick disc. Wrap in plastic wrap. Chill 15 minutes.

Roll out dough on floured surface into 1/4-inch thickness. Cut out cookies with cutters.

Place on ungreased baking sheets. Reroll scraps; cut more.

Bake at 375 degrees 9 to 11 minutes, until lightly browned at edges. Cool on sheets set on racks 2 minutes. Remove cookies to racks to cool.

With fine-tipped paintbrush, coat cookies with thinned icing. Let dry. Pipe on thicker icing with writing tip.

Source: Family Circle magazine

Royal Icing

• 3 tablespoons meringue powder (see note)
• 1-pound box (4 cups) confectioner's sugar, sifted
• 6 tablespoons water
• Paste food colors or soft gel paste food colors (see note)

Mix meringue powder, confectioner's sugar and water together in bowl until peaks form, about 10 minutes. Makes 3 cups.

To cover cookies with a base coat, thin half of icing with water, a drop at a time, until it's the consistency of sour cream. Use thicker icing for piping. Tint icing with food colors. Keep covered.

Note: Meringue powder and paste food colors can be purchased at any store that carries cake decorating supplies, such as Party City and Michael's.

Source: Family Circle magazine

© St. Petersburg Times. All rights reserved.