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Surprise Sugar Stars

Come holiday time, Joyce Berry rolls out dozens of these buttery cutout cookies in her Sandpoint, Idaho country kitchen. "The basic sugar cookie recipe is my mother's," she informs, "and I came up with the sweet 'surprise' inside."

48 ServingsPrep: 30 min. + chilling Bake: 15 min./batch + cooling

Ingredients

1 cup butter, softened
1-1/4 cups sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
4 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
2 teaspoons ground nutmeg
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
2/3 cup buttermilk
1 can (21 ounces) cherry pie filling
ICING:
2 cups confectioners' sugar
2 to 3 tablespoons milk
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
Colored sugar, optional

Directions

In a bowl, cream butter and sugar. Add the eggs, one at a time,
beating well after each addition. Stir in vanilla. Combine the dry
ingredients; add to the creamed mixture alternately with buttermilk.
Refrigerate for 2-3 hours or until easy to handle.
On a floured surface, roll out dough to 1/4-in. thickness. Cut with
2-in star cookie cutter or the cutter of your choice. Place half of
the stars on ungreased baking sheets. Spoon 1-1/2 teaspoonfuls of

2 of 2

Surprise Sugar Stars (continued)

Directions (continued)

pie filling into the centers of each. Top with remaining stars.
Pinch edges to seal; cut a small slit in top of each cookie.
Bake at 350° for 12-15 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool on
wire racks.
For icing, combine confectioners' sugar, milk and extract in a bowl;
whisk until smooth. Spread over cookies. Sprinkle with colored sugar
if desired. Yield: 4 dozen.

Nutrition Facts: 1 serving (1 each) equals 131 calories, 4 g fat (2 g saturated fat), 19 mg cholesterol, 115 mg sodium, 22 g carbohydrate, trace fiber, 2 g protein.