Almond Butter Cutouts

I love almond cookies and I love the annual Taste of Home cookbooks! Here's a variation of almond cookies where the dough is chilled, rolled out and cut into your favorite cookie cutter shapes...It's from the 1999 Annual Taste Of Home cookbook which was given to me through Freecycle.org...

• Ready In: 2 hrs 25 mins
• Serves: 36-48
• Yields: 3-4 dozen cookies

Ingredients

• 1  cup butter, softened (NOT margarine)
• 1  cup sugar
• 2  egg yolks
• 1  teaspoon  almond extract
• 2  cups flour
• 1⁄2 teaspoon salt
• 1⁄2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1  cup  ground almonds
•  colored crystal sugar (optional)
•  frosting (optional)

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C). Take out 3-4 cookie sheets.
2. In a large bowl cream butter and sugar; beat in egg yolks and almond extract.
3. In a medium bowl, combine flour, salt and baking powder.
4. Gradually add flour mixture to the wet mixture; stir in almonds.
5. Cover and chill 2 hours; then roll out on floured surface, 3/8 inch thick.
6. Cut with your favorite cookie cutters and place evenly spaced on ungreased cookie sheets.
7. If you're using colored sugar to decorate, now is the time to sprinkle it over the cookies.
8. 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.
9. Prep time includes chill time.