Almond Glazed Sugar Cookies

Submitted by: D'Lyn Biggs

Cookies:
1 cup butter, softened
¾ cup sugar
1 tsp. almond extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
½ tsp. baking powder
¼ tsp. salt

Glaze:
1 ½ cups powdered sugar
1 tsp. almond extract
4 to 5 tsp. water
Sliced almonds

Heat oven to 400 degrees. Combine butter, sugar and almond extract in large mixer bowl. Beat at medium speed, scraping bowl often, until creamy (1 to 2 minutes). Reduce speed to low; add all remaining cookie ingredients. Beat until well mixed (1 to 2 minutes).

Roll dough into 1-inch balls; place 2 inches apart on cookie sheet. Flatten balls to ¼ inch thickness with the bottom of buttered glass dipped in sugar. Bake for 7 to 9 minutes or until edges are very lightly browned. Cool 1 minute; remove from cookie sheets. Cool completely.

Stir together all glaze ingredients in small bowl, with wire whisk. Decorate cooled cookies with glaze and sliced almonds. Glaze sets up quickly so frost and decorate a few cookies at a time.
Yield: 3 ½ dozen cookies