Anna Ruth’S Christmas Cookies

• 1 cup Butter or Shortening
• 1 cup Sugar
• 2 Eggs
• 2 teaspoons Vanilla Extract
• 1/4 teaspoon Almond Extract
• 3 1/2 cups Flour, sifted
• 1/2 teaspoon Baking Powder
• 1/2 teaspoon Salt

1. Cream butter or shortening until light and fluffy.
2. Add eggs, one at a time, mixing just enough to incorporate.
3. Add extracts to creamed mixture.
4. In a separate bowl, combine flour, salt and baking powder.
5. Add flour mixture to creamed mixture, adding a third of the flour mixture at a time, beating lightly to incorporate the flour into the butter.
6. If desired mix in either zested lemon or orange peel.
7. Wrap disks of dough tightly in plastic wrap, and chill 4 hrs to overnight.
8. Roll out dough between sheets of parchment, cut shapes, and re-chill on baking sheets to retain shapes while cooking.
9. Bake at 325 F until edges are light brown (5 plus minutes).
10. Cut outs can be brushed with beaten egg white before baking to glaze if desired.

butter, sugar, eggs, vanilla, almond extract, flour, baking powder, salt

Taken from www.epicurious.com/recipes/member/views/anna-ruth-s-christmas-cookies-5a3ba74ccb569e21096541f2 (may not work)