Description
A recipe for Almond Hanukkah Cookies

Ingredients

• 3 cups all-purpose flour
  
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
  
• 3/4 cup margarine* or butter, softened
  
• 1 cup granulated sugar
  
• 2 eggs
  
• 1/2 teaspoon clear almond extract
  
• 1/2 cup finely chopped almonds (optional)
  
• Icing
  
• 1-1/4cups confectioners' sugar
  
• 2 to 3 tablespoons water
  
• 1/4 teaspoon clear almond extract (optional)
  
• Royal blue icing color
  
• Golden yellow icing color
  
• Blue and yellow colored sugars

Preparation
Total preparation and cooking time: 1-3/4 to 2 hours | Chilling time: 1 hour

1. Combine flour and baking powder in small bowl; mix well and set aside. Beat margarine and sugar in large bowl with electric mixer until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs and almond extract. Add flour mixture, and if desired, almonds to butter mixture 1 cup at a time, mixing after each addition. Place cookie dough on plastic wrap; shape into a disk. Refrigerate at least 1 hour.

2. Preheat oven to 375°F. Roll out dough to about 1/8 inch thick on well-floured surface. Cut with cookie cutters, dipping cutters in flour before each use.

3. Place cookies on ungreased cookie sheet. Bake 9 to 11 minutes or until cookies are lightly browned around edges. Remove to wire rack; cool completely.

4. Combine confectioners' sugar, water, and if desired, almond extract in medium bowl; stir until smooth. (Icing should pour easily from spoon.) Divide icing into thirds; color one third blue, one third yellow and reserve one third white. Spoon over cooled cookies; sprinkle as desired with colored sugars.

*For best results, use only the stick form of margarine for baking, not spreads in stick or tub form.

Nutrition
no information available

Serves
Makes approximately 3-1/2 dozen 3-inch cookies

Variations
no information available