Tiny Tim Sandwich Cookies

Name: Tiny Tim Sandwich Cookies
Prep time: 45 min
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 55 min
Yield: about 5 dozen.
Ingredients: 1 cup sugar, divided; 2 to 3 drops red food coloring; 2 to 3 drops green food coloring; 1/2 cup butter, softened; 1/2 cup shortening; 1/4 cup confectioners' sugar; 1 teaspoon almond extract; 2-1/3 cups all-purpose flour; FROSTING:; 2 cups confectioners' sugar; 3 tablespoons butter, softened; 4-1/2 teaspoons heavy whipping cream; 3/4 teaspoon almond extract; Red and green food coloring, optional

TOTAL TIME: Prep: 45 min. Bake: 10 min./batch + cooling YIELD: about 5 dozen.

When I was growing up, my mother and I created special Christmas memories in the kitchen preparing these cute, bite-sized cookies. Vary the food coloring for holidays throughout the year. —Eudora Delezenne, Port Huron, Michigan

Ingredients

1 cup sugar, divided
2 to 3 drops red food coloring
2 to 3 drops green food coloring
1/2 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup shortening
1/4 cup confectioners' sugar
1 teaspoon almond extract
2-1/3 cups all-purpose flour
FROSTING:
2 cups confectioners' sugar
3 tablespoons butter, softened
4-1/2 teaspoons heavy whipping cream
3/4 teaspoon almond extract
Red and green food coloring, optional

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 375°. Combine 1/2 cup sugar and red food coloring; set aside. In another bowl, combine remaining sugar with green food coloring; set aside.
2. In a large bowl, cream butter, shortening and confectioners' sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in extract. Gradually beat in flour. Shape into 1/2-in. balls.
3. Place 1 in. apart on ungreased baking sheets. Coat bottoms of two glasses with cooking spray, then dip one in red sugar and the other in green sugar. Flatten cookies alternately with prepared glasses, redipping in sugar as needed. Bake until edges are lightly browned, 8-10 minutes. Remove to wire racks to cool completely.
4. For frosting, combine confectioners' sugar, butter, cream and extract. If desired, use food coloring to tint half of the frosting red and the other half green. Frost the bottoms of half of the cookies; cover with remaining cookies.

Nutrition Facts

1 sandwich cookie: 83 calories, 4g fat (2g saturated fat), 6mg cholesterol, 17mg sodium, 12g carbohydrate (8g sugars, 0 fiber), 1g protein.