Sugar–Cookie Cutouts

MAKES ABOUT 36 • PREP: 30 MIN • BAKE: 6 TO 7 MIN PER BATCH

2¾ cups all-purpose flour

2 tsp baking powder

1 tsp salt

2 sticks (1 cup) unsalted butter, softened

1½ cups granulated sugar

1 egg

1½ tsp vanilla extract

½ tsp almond extract

1 Heat oven to 400ºF. In medium bowl, combine flour, baking powder and salt. In large bowl with electric mixer, beat butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in egg and extracts. Add flour mixture to butter mixture, 1 cup at a time, mixing after each addition, until blended. Do not chill dough.

2 Divide dough into 2 balls. On a floured surface with a floured rolling pin, roll each ball into a circle approximately 12 in. in diameter and -in. thick. Dip cookie cutter in flour before each use. Place cookies 1 in. apart on ungreased baking sheets. Bake 6 to 7 minutes or until cookies are lightly browned.

3 Cool in pan on wire rack for 2 minutes. Remove to rack to cool completely. Decorate as desired with prepared frosting and icing.

PER COOKIE: 115 cal, 1 g pro, 16 g car, 0 g fiber, 5 g fat (3 g sat fat), 19 mg chol, 99 mg sod

CARROT CUTOUTS

Add ½ tsp each ground cinnamon, ground nutmeg and ground cloves to flour mixture. Add 1½ cups finely grated carrots and, if desired, ½ cup finely chopped walnuts to cookie dough with flour mixture.

PER COOKIE: 117 cal, 1 g pro, 16 g car, 0 g fiber, 5 g fat (3 g sat fat), 19 mg chol, 101 mg sod

LEMON CUTOUTS

Substitute ½ tsp lemon extract for almond extract. Stir 3 Tbsp lemon zest (about 3 lemons) into cookie dough with flour mixture.

PER COOKIE: 115 cal, 1 g pro,16 g car, 0 g fiber, 5 g fat (3 g sat fat), 19 mg chol, 99 mg sod

CHOCOLATE-ORANGE CUTOUTS

Add 3 squares (3 oz) unsweetened chocolate, melted and cooled, to butter mixture before adding flour mixture. Stir 2 Tbsp grated orange zest into cookie dough with flour mixture.

PER COOKIE: 127 cal, 2 g pro, 17 g car, 1 g fiber, 7 g fat (4 g sat fat), 19 mg chol, 99 mg sod

COCONUT CUTOUTS

Add 1 cup sweetened shredded coconut, toasted and finely chopped, to cookie dough with flour mixture.

PER COOKIE: 128 cal, 1 g pro, 17 g car, 0 g fiber, 6 g fat (4 g sat fat), 19 mg chol, 105 mg sod

PEPPERMINT CUTOUTS

Add cup peppermint crunch sprinkles or finely crushed peppermint candies to cookie dough with flour mixture.

PER COOKIE: 125 cal, 1 g pro, 18 g car, 0 g fiber, 5 g fat (3 g sat fat), 19 mg chol, 98 mg sod