Almond Cookie Cutouts Recipes

ALMOND COOKIE CUTOUTS

Steps:

• In a small bowl, cream butter and sugars. Add egg and extracts; mix well. Combine the flour, cornstarch, almonds, baking powder and salt; add to creamed mixture just until blended. Shape into two balls. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours. , On a lightly floured surface, roll out dough to 1/4-in. thickness. Cut out with lightly floured 2-1/2-in. cutters. Place on baking sheets coated with cooking spray. Sprinkle with colored sugar and/or sprinkles if desired., Bake at 350° for 7-9 minutes or until set and bottoms are lightly browned. Cool for 2 minutes before removing to wire racks.

ALMOND SHORTBREAD CUTOUTS

Steps:

• In a food processor, combine the flour, almonds, sugar and salt; cover and process until almonds are finely ground. Cut butter into cubes; add to processor. Pulse on and off until mixture resembles coarse crumbs., Combine the yolk, water and almond extract. While processing, gradually add yolk mixture; process until dough forms a ball. Wrap in plastic and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes. , On a lightly floured surface, roll out half of the dough to 1/4-in. thickness. Cut into desired shapes with floured cookie cutters. Place 1 in. apart on ungreased baking sheets. Repeat with remaining dough. , Bake at 325° for 12-14 minutes or until edges are lightly browned. Cool for 1 minute before removing from pans to wire racks to cool completely.

SUGAR COOKIE CUTOUTS

Steps:

• Sift flour, baking powder, and salt into a bowl.
• Put butter and sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Mix on medium speed until pale and fluffy. Mix in eggs and vanilla. Reduce speed to low. Gradually mix in flour mixture. Divide dough in half; flatten each half into a disk. Wrap each in plastic. Refrigerate until firm, at least 1 hour or overnight.
• Preheat oven to 325 degrees with racks in upper and lower thirds. Let one disk of dough stand at room temperature just until soft enough to roll, about 10 minutes. Roll out dough between two pieces of plastic wrap to 1/4 inch thick. Remove top layer of plastic wrap. Cut out cookies with a 4-inch one-piece-shaped cookie cutter. To make an ornament, cut out a hole from the center of the neck about 1/4-inch from the edge using a straw. Transfer cookie dough on plastic wrap to a baking sheet. Transfer baking sheet to freezer, freeze until very firm, about 15 minutes. Remove baking sheet from freezer and transfer shapes to baking sheets lined with nonstick baking mats. Roll out scraps, and repeat. Repeat with remaining disk of dough.
• Bake, switching positions of sheets and rotating halfway through, until edges turn golden, 15 to 18 minutes. Let cool on sheets on wire racks.

CREAM CHEESE CUT-OUT COOKIES WITH ALMOND FROSTING

Steps:

• Beat butter and cream cheese until well combined.
• Add sugar, beat until fluffy.
• Add egg, vanilla, almond extract; beat well.
• In medium bowl mix flour and baking powder (or sift).
• Add flour mixture to cream cheese mizture; beat until well combined.
• Divide dough in half.
• Cover and chill 1 1/2 hours or until dough is easy to handle.
• On floured surface roll dough to 1/8" thickness & cut with cookie cutters.
• Place on ungreased cookie sheets.
• Bake in 375 degree oven for 8-10 minutes or until slightly browned.
• Remove to wire racks to cool.
• FROSTING:.
• In bowl beat powdered sugar, butter, and almond extract until smooth.
• Beat in enough milk until frosting is of piping consistency. For spreadable frosting, add a little more milk.
• Stir in a few drops of food coloring, if desired.

ALMOND BUTTER CUTOUTS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C). Take out 3-4 cookie sheets.
• In a large bowl cream butter and sugar; beat in egg yolks and almond extract.
• In a medium bowl, combine flour, salt and baking powder.
• Gradually add flour mixture to the wet mixture; stir in almonds.
• Cover and chill 2 hours; then roll out on floured surface, 3/8 inch thick.
• Cut with your favorite cookie cutters and place evenly spaced on ungreased cookie sheets.
• If you're using colored sugar to decorate, now is the time to sprinkle it over the cookies.
• Bake 10-13 minutes or until the edges begin to brown; cool on wire racks; if you're frosting the cookies, do it once they're cool.
• Prep time includes chill time.