Categories: Cookies

Ingredients

• 2 2/3 C all-purpose flour
• 1 t baking powder
• 1 t ground nutmeg
• 1/4 t salt
• 1 C butter
• 2/3 C packed brown sugar
• 1 egg
• 1 t rum extract or vanilla
• 1 recipe Vanilla Icing, made with vanilla (optional)
• 1 recipe Decorator Frosting, made with milk and vanilla (optional)

Directions

1. In a medium mixing bowl stir together flour, baking powder, nutmeg, and salt; set aside.

2. In large mixer bowl beat butter with an electric mixer on medium speed for 30 seconds to soften. Add brown sugar and beat till fluffy. Add egg and rum extract or vanilla and beat well. Gradually add flour mixture, beating till combined. If necessary, cover and chill about 1 hour or till easy to handle. Shape cookies as desired. (see shaping directions below.)

3. To bake, transfer dough shapes to an ungreased cookie sheet, placing about 1" apart Bake in a 350 degree oven for 8-10 minutes or till slightly brown around the edges. Transfer cookies to a wire rack to cool. Makes about 50 to 60 cookies.

4. Shaping Directions for Butter Rum Cookies

5. Pistachio Balls: Roll dough into 1" balls. In a shallow bowl place about 1 C finely chopped pistachio nuts. Roll dough balls in chopped nuts, coating thoroughly. Bade as directed and cool.

6. Bite-Size Tarts: Roll dough into 1" balls. Place balls in 1 3/4" muffin pans. With fingers, press dough to cover bottom and sides of cups (or use a handy dandy dough press like from Pampered Chef.) Fill each muffin cup with about 1 t of cherry or apricot preserves (any strong flavored, strong color jelly or preserves.) Bake as directed; cool. Drizzle tarts with Vanilla Icing.

7. Pinwheels: On a lightly floured surface, roll half of the chilled dough to a 15×12 1/2" rectangle. Cover and chill remaining dough till needed. With a sharp knife, cut into thirty 2 1/2" squares. Arrange 1/2" apart on an ungreased cookie sheet. Place a scant teaspoon cherry or seedless raspberry preserves in the center of each square. Cut 1" slits diagonally from each other tip over to cover filling, forming a pinwheel (see photo in attachment) Press the center lightly to seal. If desired, repeat with remaining half of dough or use remaining dough to make another cookie shape. Bake as directed and cool. Before serving, dust with powdered sugar.

8. Christmas Cutouts: On a lightly floured surface, roll half of the dough at a time to 1/8" thickness (cover and chill remaining dough till needed.)

9. With cookie cutters, etc. Bake as directed and cool. With a small, clean food designated paintbrush or knife, paint or spread cooled cookies with tinted Vanilla Icing or however you like to decorate.

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