Christmas Tree Cookies
Contributed by Diane S.

                     *  Exported from  MasterCook  *

            1988 2nd Place: Pat Egan's Christmas Tree Cookies

Recipe By     :
Serving Size  : 72   Preparation Time :0:00
Categories    : Cookies

  Amount  Measure       Ingredient -- Preparation Method
--------  ------------  --------------------------------
   2 1/2  C             Flour
   1      C             Sugar
   1      C             Butter or margarine,
                        Softened
   1 1/2  Ts            Baking powder
     1/4  T             Salt
     1/2  T             Almond extract
   1                    Egg
     1/4  C             Green sugar crystals, about
     1/4  C             Confetti or nonpareil candy
                        Decorations, optional

Preparation time: 20 minutes Chilling time: 4 hours Baking time: 10
minutes

1. Put flour, sugar, butter, baking powder, salt, almond extract and egg
into large bowl of an electric mixer. Mix together, using low speed.
Dough will be crumbly. Then knead dough with hands until mixture holds
together.

2. Remove 1/3 cup of the dough; wrap and refrigerate. Divide remaining
dough in thirds. Using hands, roll each into a 6-inch log.

3. Put sugar crystals on a sheet of wax paper. Roll each log in the
sugar crystals to coat well; use the wax paper as a guide to press in
crystals. Shape each log into a triangle, pressing gently on wax paper
to give three sharp corners. Make sure to make 2 sides longer than the
third side. Wrap each log well and refrigerate at least 4 hours or until
dough is firm enough to slice. To this point, cookies can be made up to
a week in advance.

4. Heat oven to 350 degrees. To bake, slice logs crosswise into 1/4-inch
slices. Put slices about 1 inch apart on ungreased cookie sheets. For
each cookie, shape about 1/2 teaspoon of the reserved 1/3 cup dough into
a tree trunk. Attach to bottom underside of each tree. Sprinkle each
cookie lightly with candy decorations, if desired. Bake until lightly
browned, about 10 minutes. Carefully remove to wire racks. Cool
completely.

Note: The logs can be divided and shaped into 3 sizes and sliced to form
a 3-tiered tree. These second-place winning cookies are easily shaped
into trees that are edged with glittery green sugar. Of her simple
cookies, Pat Egan of Dolton, Illinois writes, "They're not a fancy or
gourmet cookie, but a simple symbol of the Christmas season that is so
close to my heart." from the Chicago Tribune annual Food Guide Holiday
Cookie Contest December 8, 1988