Snowflake Cookies

These delicate sugar cookies are all dressed up with a simple almond glaze and sugar crystals.

Makes 2 1/2 dozen cookies

Cookies:
1 cup granulated sugar
3/4 cup butter or margarine, softened
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 eggs
2 1/2 cups Gold Medal� all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt

Almond Glaze:
3 cups powdered sugar
4 teaspoons light corn syrup
1/4 cup hot water
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
1/8 teaspoon salt
White coarse sugar crystals (decorating sugar), powdered
    sugar or white edible glitter

Easy Decorating Frosting:
1 cup powdered sugar
3 to 5 teaspoons water

1. In large bowl, mix granulated sugar, butter, vanilla extract and eggs until well blended. Stir in flour, baking powder and salt. Cover and refrigerate at least 1 hour but no longer than 24 hours.

2. Heat oven to 400 degrees F. On lightly floured surface, roll about one-third of dough 1/8 inch thick. Cut with 1 1/2 to 2-inch star-shaped cookie cutter. Place 1 inch apart on ungreased cookie sheet.

3. Bake about 6 minutes or until light brown. Remove from cookie sheet to cooling rack. Cool completely, about 30 minutes. Repeat with remaining dough.

4. In medium bowl, mix all glaze ingredients except coarse sugar crystals until smooth, glossy and pourable. Place cooled cookies together in pairs with about 1 teaspoon glaze, with points of top cookie between points of bottom cookie. Place cookies on cooling rack on cookie sheet to catch excess glaze. Pour 1 tablespoon glaze evenly over top and sides of each cookie, glazing only a few at time. When glaze is set but still soft, move cookies to another rack or waxed paper; sprinkle with sugar crystals. (Occasionally remove glaze from cookie sheet, and add a few drops of hot water as necessary to make glaze smooth and thin enough to pour; continue glazing.)

5. In small bowl, mix frosting ingredients to make a frosting that can be easily drizzled or used in a decorating bag, yet holds its shape. Pipe snowflake designs on cookies. Let cookies dry completely before storing.

Nutrition Information: 1 Serving: Calories 160 (Calories from Fat 45 ); Total Fat 5 g (Saturated Fat 1 g); Cholesterol 15 mg; Sodium 160 mg; Total Carbohydrate 27 g (Dietary Fiber 0g); Protein 2 g

Percent Daily Value*: Vitamin A 4 %; Vitamin C 0%; Calcium 0%; Iron 2 %

Exchanges: 1 Starch; 1 Fruit; 1/2 Fat
*Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.

Simplify
Keep it simple! Use small tubes of decorator gel instead of making the decorating frosting from scratch.

Success
Chill out! Refrigerating the dough helps keep it from sticking to your rolling pin and countertop. Keep the dough in the refrigerator until you're ready to roll it out, and then remove only one portion at a time, keeping the remainder refrigerated.

Recipe and photograph provided courtesy of Betty Crocker � 2007 �/TM General Mills All Rights Reserved