Marzipan Christmas Cookies

• 2 3/4 cups flour (all-purpose, unsifted)
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup brown sugar (light, not dark)
• 8 ounces almond paste
• 1 teaspoon cardamom (ground)
• 1 cup butter (softened)
• 1/2 cup almonds (blanched, chopped)
• 1 cup sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 cup sour cream
• 2 egg whites
• 1 cup cherry preserves

1. Sift flour with cardamom, baking soda, and salt.
2. Soften butter. With electric mixer at medium speed, beat butter, brown sugar, and sour cream until light and fluffy.
3. At low speed, beat in flour. Remove from mixer and stir in nuts.
4. Divide dough in half. Shape each half into a roll about 1-1/2" in diameter. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight.
5. Preheat oven to 350. Cut rolls into 1/4" slices and place on ungreased cookie sheets.
6. Beat egg whites slightly with electric mixer. Crumble almond paste into egg whites, beating until added. Add sugar two tablespoons at a time, beating until well blended. Place mixture in a pastry bag with a #2 star tip and pipe a circle around the edge of each cookie (to form a wreath shape).
7. Bake 12-15 minutes, or until light brown.
8. When cooled, fill center of wreaths with cherry preserves.

flour, salt, brown sugar, almond paste, cardamom, butter, almonds, sugar, baking soda, sour cream, egg whites, cherry preserves

Taken from www.food.com/recipe/marzipan-christmas-cookies-225867 (may not work)