Blend Crisco & sugar; add egg & mix well.  Add remaining ingredients & blend.  Roll into walnut size balls.  Roll into colored sugar & flatten with a glass.  Bake 7-10 minutes in preheated 350°F oven.

Heat oven to 350°F.  Cream butter & sugar.  Add eggs & vanilla extract.  Add dry ingredients.  Add chocolate chips.  Bake about 10 minutes.

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C (356°F).  Lightly grease a 20cm square (8″) tin & line the base with baking paper.
2. Sift the flours together into a bowl.  In a large bowl, beat the butter & the sugar until light & creamy.  Add 1 egg, beat well & add 1 tbsp of the flour mixture.  Beat in the second egg, milk, & vanilla.  Fold in the remaining flour & ½ c. walnuts. Spoon into the tin & smooth the surface.
3. Scatter the top with the remaining chopped walnuts & some extra brown sugar.  Bake for 30-45 minutes.  Allow to cool in the tin.  Carefully turn out & cut into squares.

1. In a small bowl, stir together confectioners’ sugar & milk until smooth. Beat in corn syrup & almond extract until icing is smooth & glossy. If icing is too thick, add more corn syrup.
2. Divide into separate bowls, & add food colorings to each to desired intensity. Dip cookies, or paint them with a brush. Let them dry at least 4-5 hours or over night before stacking.

1. Cream the shortening, water & sugar together until light & fluffy. Add the molasses & egg yolk & mix until well blended.
2. In a separate bowl, whisk together all the dry ingredients. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture. If using a stand mixer, use stir. The dough will be sticky. DO NOT ADD MORE FLOUR REGARDLESS OF HOW TEMPTED YOU MAY BE!!! Too much flour will make the cookies tough. Form into 2 flat disks & put in the freezer for at least an hour or more.
3. Preheat oven to 350°F.
4. When the dough is cold enough to handle, roll it to about ¼” thick between 2 pieces of wax paper (the wax paper keeps you from having to use more flour). I roll mine a little thinner because I like a little crispness on the edges. Gently press together the scraps into another disk & put back in the freezer until ready for use. Bake for 8-10 minutes on parchment lined cookie sheets. Cool on pan for about 5 minutes before transferring to a cooling rack. Cool completely before decorating.

Chef’s Note: I use shortening instead of butter or margarine because shortening is flavorless and doesn’t impact the spices. I think butter is best served in sugar cookies. If you decide to substitute butter or margarine for the shortening, omit the water from the recipe.

Cream the butter & sugars.  Add the eggs & vanilla.  Combine the dry ingredients & stir into creamed mixture.  Sprinkle in chocolate chips.  Shape the cookies into little round balls & place onto a greased pan.

Bake at 350°F for 10-12 minutes.

Enjoy!

Heat oven to 400°F. Mix butter, shortening, 1½ c. sugar & eggs. Blend in flour, cream of tartar, salt & baking soda. Shape dough by rounded teaspoonfuls into balls. Mix 2 tbsp sugar & cinnamon in a small bowl. Roll dough balls in cinnamon & sugar mixture. Place 2 inches apart on an un greased cookie sheet. Bake 8-10 min. or until set. Immediate remove from sheet & cool.

1. Cream the butter & sugars until fluffy.
2. Beat in eggs & vanilla extract.
3. Combine dry ingredients & beat into butter mixture.
4. Stir in chocolate chips.
5. Bake at 375°F on parchment for 11-14 min., depending on how big you make the cookie.

1. Mix the sugar, cocoa, butter, & milk in a saucepan. While stirring, bring to a boil & let boil for 1 min.
2. Once boiled for 1 min, stir in vanilla, peanut butter, & oats.
3. Drop onto wax paper, let cool, & eat. Should yield 2-3 dozen, depending on how big you make the cookies.