The smell of homemade cookies is often in the air at my home during the Christmas season. I have always loved baking and have pondered upon a few recipes that I have altered to make them my own for delicious Christmas cookies. I see a recipe that sounds like it would be good, and then I change around the ingredients and play with the recipe until I master it and make it perfect. I make these special cookies only at Christmas time and they are always requested by my friends and family. I hope you enjoy ....

* Almond Thumbprints *

2 cups of butter softened
1 1/3 cups sugar
1 teaspoons almond extract
4 cups flour
Jam of your choice (I often choose to use a few different flavors like strawberry, pineapple, raspberry, blackberry)

Combine the butter, sugar and almond extract together until nice and creamy.
Next add in the flour slowly and mix until well combined.
Place it in the refrigerator for at least an hour or overnight to allow it to sit.
Next roll small balls out of the dough, about an inch thick.
Place them on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper about two inches apart.
Using your thumb, press the middle of the cookie to make an indentation. They may slightly crack.
With a small spoon, spoon in the indention some jam.
Bake at 350 degrees (preheat in advance)for around 15 minutes. Watch them closely and once the sides or bottom of the cookies begin to brown, take them out.
Next you are going to want to make this glaze.

2 cups powdered sugar
4 teaspoons water
3 teaspoons almond extract

Combine the three ingredients together and mix well.
When the cookies have cooled drizzle the glaze over the cookies.
Then enjoy!

* Cashew Snowballs *

4 cups flour
1 cup sugar
2 cups butter softened
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
4 cups chopped cashews
Powdered sugar (about 2 to 3 cups in a bowl)

In a bowl combine the sugar (plain sugar not the powdered sugar), butter and vanilla extract together until creamy.
Slowly blend in the flour and mix until well combined.
Next fold in the cashews until evenly mixed throughout the batter.

Roll the dough into small balls about an inch thick.
Place on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper about 2 inches apart from each other.
Bake at 325 degrees (preheat the oven in advance) for about 10 to 15 minutes. You want to watch the cookies closely, and when the sides or the bottom start to brown remove them from the oven.
Allow them to cool for about 5 minutes and then roll them in the powdered sugar.
Then again after they have completely cooled you want to roll them in the powdered sugar again.
Next step is to Enjoy!

I love these recipes and they are simply an amazing cookie to give as gifts. They look beautiful and taste equally good. I always make these recipes in larger quantities, but if you want to make a smaller amount you can cut the amounts in half. I always make them in larger quantities because they seem to disappear as fast as I make them. I also love to give them to close friends and relatives in pretty decorative tins.

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