Almond Iced Shortbread Balls (Gluten Free)

These melt in your mouth shortbread cookies are a family favorite at Christmas time. They are very delicate, so I usually make them in a one or two bite size. This recipe works best with a blend of gluten-free flours, rather than a single flour. The recipe was tested with Gluten-Free Flour Blend.

• Ready In: 2 hrs
• Yields: 80 cookies

Ingredients

• 1  lb salted butter
• 4  tablespoons white sugar
• 2  eggs
• 4 1⁄2-5  cups  gluten-free flour (Gluten-Free Flour Blend)

• ICING

• 4  cups icing sugar, sifted (gluten free)
• 4  teaspoons  almond extract
• 4  tablespoons water (or more)
•  food coloring (optional)

Directions

1. Combine butter, sugar, and 1 cup of flour, using sturdy wooden spoon or mixer with dough hooks.
2. Add eggs and mix in thoroughly.
3. Gradually work in the remaining flour, until dough will roll into balls without being sticky.
4. Roll into one or two-bite size balls and place on ungreased cookie sheet, or silicone baking sheet.
5. Bake at 350 F for 15 minutes.
6. Cool on cookie sheet before moving cookies to sheets of waxed paper. Space the cookies at least 1/2" apart on the waxed paper so you don't have to move them to put icing on them.
7. Combine icing ingredients and stir until smooth.
8. The icing should be runny enough to drop from a knife onto the cookies, but thick enough that it doesn't all run off. The icing will thicken as it sits. Add more water if needed.
9. To ice, leave the cookie on the waxed paper, and drop enough icing onto it to cover the top and drip down the sides a bit. While the icing is still wet, you can add little drops of icing to ensure coverage.
10. Try not to have too much icing ending up on the waxed paper, or you may not have enough for the whole batch.
11. Let the icing dry before placing in shallow storage containers, in a single layer.