Welcome Christmas!

There are two ways to welcome Christmas in our home, decorating the Christmas tree (which is not complete without the Christmas goat, as shown) and the making of our family's favorite Christmas cookie.  Our family has been making the same cookie at Christmas time for generations, they are called "Press Cookies." My grandmother, Mary, made them and my mother, Ellen, made them and now I make them. It doesn't seem like Christmas until the yummy, buttery smell of Press Cookies is wafting through our halls. I will spend days forgetting to put away the sprinkles and weeks tracking down the dragee decorations. (I believe the recipe came from the cookie press box recipe pamphlet.) Anyway, below is the recipe I make every year, although any flavor of extract will work wonderfully and I believe the new cup-to-cup gluten-free flours available on the market will allow anyone to enjoy these crispy bites. The cookies keep for weeks in an airtight container but will be eaten in days! I advise making a double batch!

Press Cookies
1 cup salted butter
3/4 cup sugar
1 large egg
1 teaspoon pure almond extract 
2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Cream butter with sugar until fluffy.  Add egg then extract. Add flour and soda. 

---