Almond Shortbread Cookies

Name: Almond Shortbread Cookies
Prep time: 25 min
Cook time: 20 min
Yield: 20
Cuisine: English, Irish, and Scottish,
Ingredients: 2 1/4 cups flour; 1/4 tsp McCormick® Nutmeg, Ground; 3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) butter softened; 1/4 cup vegetable shortening; 1/2 cup sugar; 1 1/2 tsps McCormick® Pure Almond Extract; 1 tsp McCormick® Pure Vanilla Extract; 5 maraschino cherries each cut into 8 pieces

These simple, but heavenly, almond butter cookies are traditional Puerto Rican Christmas cookies – they are as common and popular as chocolate chip cookies are in the States. They make wonderful Christmas gifts that everyone will enjoy!

25m

PREP TIME

20m

COOK TIME

162

CALORIES

8

INGREDIENTS

Servings: 20

Ingredients

2 1/4 cups flour
1/4 teaspoon McCormick® Ground Nutmeg
3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) butter, softened
1/4 cup vegetable shortening
1/2 cup sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons McCormick® Pure Almond Extract
1 teaspoon McCormick® All Natural Pure Vanilla Extract
5 maraschino cherries, each cut into 8 pieces

KEY PRODUCTS

INSTRUCTIONS

1 Preheat oven to 350°F. Mix flour and nutmeg in medium bowl. Set aside. Beat butter, shortening, sugar and extracts in large bowl with electric mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy. Gradually stir in flour mixture until well mixed. Dough should be slightly moist. If dough looks dry, sprinkle with water and work into dough. If dough is sticky, sprinkle with additional flour.
2 Spoon dough by teaspoons and shape into balls. Place on ungreased baking sheets. Gently flatten each ball with palm of hand. Press a cherry piece in the center of each cookie.
3 Bake 20 minutes or until golden. Cool on baking sheets 1 minute. Remove to wire racks; cool completely.