BUTTER CREAM FROSTING
4 tb Sweet butter 1/2 ts Vanilla
1/2 c Solid shortening 1/2 tb Water
1 pn Salt 3 dr Green food color
1/2 lb Confectioners sugar* 3 dr Red food color
1 1/2 tb Milk 3 dr Yellow food color

* (2 cups loosely packed)

Children will love these-they are fun to make and to eat. Adults
will also find them irresistible.

Preheat oven to 375.

In large bowl, with mixer at low speed, beat egg yolks and milk
until well blended. Add flour, sugar, butter, vanilla and salt; beat
ingredients until just mixed. Increase speed to medium and beat 2
minutes, occasionally scraping bowl. Divide dough in half.

On floured pastry cloth, with lightly floured stockinette- covered
rolling pin, roll one dough half 1/8-inch thick. With 2 1/4-inch
fluted-edged cookie cutter, cut dough into rounds; with 1/2-inch
round cutter, cut out centers from half of rounds. Reserve the dough
scraps.

Using a pancake turner, place rounds 1/2-inch apart on un- greased
cookie sheets; bake at 375 8-10 minutes until lightly browned. With
pancake turner, remove cookies to wire racks to cool completely.

Repeat cutting and baking with second half of dough, rerolling
scraps.

Prepare frosting: In the bowl of an electric mixer, place all
frosting ingredients (except food color) and beat at low speed for 2
minutes. Scrape sides of bowl and continue beating at high speed for
6 minutes. Divide frosting into thirds and tint with food color.

On bottom side of cookie without a hole, spread teaspoonful of either
green, pink or yellow frosting; top with a cookie with a hole in it
to make a “sandwich.” Repeat with remaining cookies and frosting.
(Use any leftover frosting for graham crackers or cupcakes.)

Yield: about 42 sandwich cookies. Larry Rosenberg, author of Muffins &
Cupcakes (published by The American Cooking Guild), Fairview, NJ.

A combination of two favorite cookies: oatmeal and chocolate chip.

Preheat oven to 375.

In a large bowl, with mixer at medium speed, beat all ingredients
except walnuts and chips until well mixed, occasionally scraping
bowl. Stir in walnuts and chocolate chips.

Drop by teaspoonfuls, 1-inch apart, onto greased cookie sheets. Bake
at 375 for 12 minutes or until lightly browned Immediately remove
cookies to wire racks and let cool.

Yield: 3 dozen. Larry Rosenberg, author of Muffins & Cupcakes
(published by The American Cooking Guild), Fairview, NJ.

* coarsely chopped

Granola and brown sugar give this cookie its crunch and rich flavor.

Preheat oven to 350.

In a large bowl, measure all ingredients except raisins and peanuts.
With mixer at low speed, beat ingredients until just mixed; increase
speed to medium and beat 2 minutes, occasionally scraping bowl with
rubber spatula. Stir in raisins and peanuts until mixture is well
blended.

Drop dough by heaping teaspoonfuls, about 2 inches apart on greased
cookie sheet.

Bake 10-14 minutes at 350 until cookies are lightly browned around
edges. Remove cookies to wire racks and allow to cool completely.
Store cookies in a tightly covered container up to 1 week.

Variations: Chocolate-Granola Cookies: prepare dough as for Raisin
Granola cookies but substitute 6 ounces of semi-sweet chocolate
pieces for half cup of raisins.

Date-Granola Cookies: Substitute 1 cup of chopped, pitted date. for
raisins.

Yield: 3-4 dozen. Larry Rosenberg, author of Muffins & Cupcakes
(published by The American Cooking Guild), Fairview, NJ.

* firmly packed ** (2 1/2 – 3 cups)

These cookies go well with after dinner coffee or tea.

In a bowl, sift together the flour, cinnamon, ginger, salt and
baking soda and set aside.

In a large bowl, cream the butter. Add the coffee, almond extract,
granulated and brown sugars and beat well. Add the eggs one at a time
until smooth after each addition. On low speed gradually add the
sifted dry ingredients, scraping the bowl with a rubber spatula and
beating only until the mixture is smooth. Gently mix in the almonds.

Spread out two pieces of wax paper. place large spoonfuls of the
dough lengthwise on each piece of paper to form heavy strips about
10-11 inches long. Fold the long sides of the paper p against the
dough and, pressing against the paper with your hands, shape each
strip of dough into a smooth oblong 12 inches long, 3 inches wide,
and about 1 inch thick. Wrap the dough in the wax paper.

Slide a cookie sheet under both packages of dough and transfer them
to the freezer or refrigerator for several hours or overnight. This
slices best when dough is frozen solid.

Preheat oven to 375. Unwrap one roll of dough at a time. Place
dough on a cutting board. With a very sharp knife cut the dough into
1/4-inch slices and place them 1 to 1 1/2 inches apart on an
ungreased cookie sheet.

Bake the cookies for about 10-12 minutes at 375. The cookies are
done when they are slightly colored and spring back when lightly
pressed with a fingertip.

Yield: 4 dozen. Larry Rosenberg, author of Muffins & Cupcakes
(published by The American Cooking Guild), Fairview, NJ.

TOPPING
Finely chopped nuts or
Granulated sugar

* slightly beaten with 1 Tablespoon water

Let your children pick out their favorite cookie cutters for these
sweet sugar cookies.

ln a large bowl, measure all ingredients except egg white and
topping. With mixer at medium speed, beat until well mixed scraping
sides of bowl. Mixture will be crumbly.

Shape dough into ball and wrap with waxed paper; refrigerate for 2
to 3 hours until easy to handle.

When ready to start baking, preheat oven to 400? and lightly grease
cookie sheets.

On lightly floured surface, roll half of dough at a time, keeping
rest refrigerated. For crisp cookies, roll dough paper- thin. For
softer cookies roll out dough 1/8 to 1/4-inch thick.

With floured cookie cutters, cut dough into various shapes Reroll
dough trimmings and continue to cut shapes.

Place cookies 1/2-inch apart on cookie sheets. To glaze, brush tops
of cookies with the beaten egg white and water mixture Sprinkle
cookies with finely chopped nuts or granulated sugar.

Bake for 8 minutes at 400? or until very light brown. Remove cookies
to rack; cool completely.

Yield: 5 dozen. Larry Rosenberg, author of Muffins & Cupcakes
(published by The American Cooking Guild), Fairview, NJ.

A combination of two favorite cookies: oatmeal and chocolate chip.

Preheat oven to 375?.

In a large bowl, with mixer at medium speed, beat all ingredients
except walnuts and chips until well mixed, occasionally scraping
bowl. Stir in walnuts and chocolate chips.

Drop by teaspoonfuls, 1-inch apart, onto greased cookie sheets. Bake
at 375? for 12 minutes or until lightly browned Immediately remove
cookies to wire racks and let cool.

Yield: 3 dozen. Larry Rosenberg, author of Muffins & Cupcakes
(published by The American Cooking Guild), Fairview, NJ.

* toasted diced & buttered

This is an elegant cookie with a sweet almond flavor.

In a large bowl, measure flour, butter or margarine, almond extract,
salt and 1/4 cup sugar. With mixer at medium speed, beat ingredients
until well mixed, occasionally scraping bowl with rubber spatula.
(Mixture will be crumbly.)

With hands, shape into ball. If dough is too soft to roll out, cover
and refrigerate until firm.

Preheat oven to 325o.

On lightly floured surface, with floured rolling pin, roll dough
into 12 x 8-inch rectangle. Using pastry wheel or knife, cut into
strips 3 x 1-inch. Place strips on greased cookie sheets and brush
with slightly beaten egg whites.

In a small bowl, mix remaining 1/4 cup sugar with cinnamon and
almonds; sprinkle on cookies. Bake 15 minutes at 325o or until
golden. With pancake turner, remove cookies to wire racks and allow
to cool.

Yield: 3 dozen. Larry Rosenberg, author of Muffins & Cupcakes
(published by The American Cooking Guild), Fairview, NJ.

Randy Shearer