‘Tis the season for holiday cookies

Wed., Dec. 15, 2004

Philomena Corradeno King Features Syndicate

Here are more holiday cookies to delight the family. They also make thoughtful gifts when holiday-visiting. Pack them in pretty gift boxes. Or arrange them on an appropriate plate and wrap with colored plastic wrap.

Spiced Holiday Sugar Cookies

1 cup butter, softened

1 1/4 cups sugar

1 egg

2 teaspoons McCormick pure vanilla extract

2 1/3 cups flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon McCormick ground nutmeg

1/8 teaspoon salt

Colored sugars

Glaze:

3 to 4 teaspoons milk

1/2 teaspoon McCormick pure vanilla extract

3 to 4 drops McCormick assorted food colors & egg dye

1 cup confectioners’ sugar

Beat butter in large bowl with an electric mixer on medium high speed 30 seconds. Add sugar, egg and vanilla. Mix flour, baking soda, nutmeg and salt; gradually stir into mixture. Chill dough until firm, about 1 hour.

Preheat oven to 375 F. Roll to 1/8 -inch thickness* on lightly floured surface. Cut into shapes with favorite cookie cutters — stars, trees, reindeer. Sprinkle with colored sugar if desired.

Bake on greased baking sheet 8 to 10 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool cookies 1 minute on cookie sheet, then remove to wire rack. Cool. Glaze and decorate. Makes 28 (3-cookie) servings.

Glaze: Mix all glaze ingredients. Add additional water or milk as needed to thin, or more powdered sugar to stiffen. Blend in 3 to 4 drops food color. If desired, divide the icing among separate small bowls and tint each one with different color by stirring in 1 to 2 drops food color.

*Thicker cookies will yield fewer cookies.

Tip: Mix 1/4 cup flour and 1/4 cup confectioners’ sugar to dust cutting surface.

Anise Almond Cookies

2 cups flour

1/2 cup finely chopped almonds

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 cup butter, softened

1 cup sugar

1 egg

1 1/2 teaspoons McCormick pure anise extract

1/4 teaspoon McCormick pure almond extract

Heat oven to 350 F. Mix flour, almonds, salt; set aside. Beat butter and sugar until creamy. Blend in egg and anise and almond extracts. Gradually mix in flour mixture. Drop by rounded tablespoons onto ungreased cookie sheet. Bake 10 to 12 minutes or until browned around the edges. Makes 21 (2-cookie) servings.

Pecan Cookie Balls

1 cup butter or margarine

2 1/2 cups confectioners’ sugar, divided

2 teaspoons McCormick pure vanilla extract

1/2 teaspoon McCormick ground nutmeg

1/8 teaspoon salt

2 cups all-purpose flour

2 cups finely chopped pecans

Preheat oven to 350 F.

Place butter in large mixer bowl and cream until soft. Add 1/2 cup sugar, vanilla extract, nutmeg and salt. Cream until thoroughly mixed. Stir in flour and pecans. Shape dough into 1-inch balls and place 1 inch apart on ungreased cookie sheets. Bake 15 minutes.

Remove from cookie sheets and immediately roll hot cookies in remaining 2 cups sugar. Place sugared cookies on wire racks and set aside to cool. When cool, roll again in sugar. Makes 24 (2-cookie) servings.

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