Southern Shortbread Cookies

½ cup (1 stick) butter, softened

5 tablespoons sugar

1 cup all-purpose flour

⅛ teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon vanilla

30 blanched whole almonds

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease a cookie sheet.

In a large bowl cream the butter and sugar until fluffy. Add the flour and salt, mixing well. Stir in the vanilla.

Roll the dough into small balls and place on the prepared cookie sheet. Flatten each cookie and top with an almond. Bake 20 to 25 minutes, or until brown. Remove from the cookie sheet and cool on a wire rack.

Makes about 30 cookies

Marie Blitch, Queen
The Dixie Darlings,
Matthews, North Carolina