These cookies are fun because you can personalize them with letters.  They make great gifts.  Using a straw (before baking), you can put a small hole in one end of the cookie.  After baking, tie a ribbon through the hole and hang on the Christmas tree!

Level: Medium

Prep time: 45 minutes

cook time: 6- 10 minutes

Yield: 4 dozen

Ingredients:

3/4 cups (1 1/2 sticks) Unsalted butter

1 cup sugar

2 large eggs

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/2 teaspoon almond extract

2 1/2 cups flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon salt

Coarse sugar for sprinkling

40-70 hard candy (butterscotch or anything that is like it)

Material:

Holiday ornament cookie cutters

Letter cookie cutters

Non-stick spray

Wax paper

Directions:

Part 1:

1) In a large bowl, and with an electric mixer, beat together the butter, sugar, eggs, and vanilla and almond extracts.

2) On a sheet of wax paper, sift together the flour, baking powder, and salt.

3) Add the flour mixture to the butter mixture until it forms a dough. Put the dough in the refrigerator for 1 hour or until firm.

4) Roll out the dough so it is 1/2 an inch thick.

5) Get your holiday ornament cookie cutter and cut out to make ornament cookies.

6) If you want to make the cookies as gift,  you can get initial (Letter) cookie cutters and place the cutter in the middle of the cookies so the cookie has the initial in it. Make sure you put the cookies on a baking sheet and spray the wax paper on the baking sheet with nonstick spray.

7) Beat the hard candy so that they break into very small pieces. You will put the candy in were the initials is (inside). Make sure you do not get it on the dough.

8) Preheat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit and bake for 6 to 10 mins or until cookies have a nice brown rim and candy is completely melted