1. In a medium mixing bowl stir together flour and baking powder. Set aside.
2. In a large mixer bowl beat butter or margarine and cream cheese with an electric mixer on medium speed for 30 seconds.
3. Add sugar, beat till fluffy. Add egg, vanilla, almond extract, and coconut flavoring; beat well.
4. Gradually add flour mixture to creamed mixture, beating well after each addition.
5. Divide dough into thirds (about 2 cups each). Cover and chill overnight, or place in moisture- and vaporproof plastic bags. Seal, label, and freeze up to 3 months.
6. If frozen, thaw the festive cookie dough in the refrigerator overnight. Or, place dough in a microwave-safe mixing bowl; cover with waxed paper. Micro-cook on 10% power (low) for 5 minutes or till thawed.
Little snow people
1/3 recipe festive cookie dough
miniature semisweet chocolate pieces
red cinnamon candies
3/4 cup sifted powdered sugar
milk or light cream
Several drops of green food coloring
milk chocolate kisses or bite size
chocolate-covered peanut butter cups, halved
sifted powdered sugar.
1. For each snow person, shape dough into 3 balls: one 1-inch ball, one 3/4-inch ball, and one 1/2-inch ball.
2. Place balls On a ungreased cookie sheet in decreasing sizes with sides touching. Press together slightly. Press 2 chocolate pieces in smallest ball for eyes.
3. Press 1 red cinnamon candy in the middle ball and 2 candies in the largest ball for buttons.
4. Bake in a 325 degree oven for about 18 minutes or till edges are firm and bottoms are light golden brown.
5. Cool 1 minute on baking sheet.
6. Carefully transfer to a wire rack; cool. To make the icing for decorating the cookies, in a small mixing bowl stir together the 3/4 cup powdered sugar and enough milk or light cream (2 to 3 teaspoons) to make an icing of piping consistency.
1. Stir in the green food coloring.
2. To make hats for the snow people, attach halved kisses or peanut butter cups to the heads with icing. With a decorating bag and writing or star tip, pipe bow ties, belts, scarves, or stocking caps on the snow people with the remaining icing. Lightly sprinkle the snow people with powdered sugar. Make about 16 cookies. Nutrition information per cookie:
169 calories, 2 grams of protein, 25 grams of carbohydrates, 8 grams of fat, 22 milligrams of cholesterol, 66 milligrams of sodium.
