Almond Shortbread

I love to have this delicious cookie at Christmas. If you can wait a couple days after baking before you eat them, you will be rewarded with a much richer cookie. Very easy and not at all time consuming!

• Ready In: 22 mins
• Yields: 24 cookies

Ingredients

• 1⁄2 cup real butter, room temp
• 1⁄3 cup sugar
• 1  teaspoon vanilla
• 1  teaspoon  almond extract
• 1 1⁄4 cups flour
• 1⁄3 cup  almonds (I buy the slivered ones)
• 1⁄4 teaspoon salt

Directions

1. Cream butter, sugar and vanilla.
2. With your almonds, either just crush them or you can put them into a blender/food processor to either make very small pieces or ground. its your preference as to how you would like them. mix the almonds with the flour and salt.
3. When the butter is creamed, add the flour mix. it will seem crumbley, keep mixing until it comes together.
4. When mixed well, separate into 4 equal balls.
5. I use a pizza pan because I can do the whole batch on one pan. Lightly grease pan. Take balls and press until about 1/4-inch thick. cut into six pieces (yes, before you bake).
6. Bake for 12-14 minutes. You don't want them browned, just set well.
7. When they are done, take them out and cut again and put on cooling rack still together. Let cool. Store in tight container. I use ziplock bags.