This recipe is from my great-grandmother, Millie. She was a wonderful cook and baker, passing on her recipes to her daughter, Bonnie. Every year for Christmas, my grandma Bonnie and I bake together, sharing precious memories and laughter. I’ll bake these cookies with my mom for Valentine’s Day, birthdays and other holidays too, making this a priceless recipe for the women in the Rinehard family.

What you’ll need:

• 1 cup of butter, softened
• 1 cup of granulated sugar
• 1 egg
• 2 ¾ cups of flour
• 1 tsp of baking powder
• 1 tsp of vanilla
• ½ tsp of almond extract
• ¼ tsp of salt
• 2 tbsp of milk

For the icing:

• 2 cups of powdered sugar
• ½ tsp of vanilla or ¼ tsp of almond extract
• 2 tbsp of milk
• Food coloring

Instructions:

1. Combine the butter, sugar, egg, vanilla and almond extract in a large bowl.
2. Add flour, baking powder, salt and milk, mixing them together until well blended.
3. Gather the dough into a ball and wrap it in plastic, letting it chill in the fridge for 1 hour.
   Heat oven to 400°F.
4. Divide the dough into smaller batches on a floured surface. Roll into sheets about ¼ inch thick.
5. Dip cookie cutters into flour and cut into the dough.
6. Place the shapes onto cookie sheets and bake for 4-7 minutes until lightly browned.
7. Let the cookies cool for 1-3 hours.
8. Prepare the icing by mixing together powdered sugar, vanilla or almond extract and milk. Add food coloring for the desired color (optional).
9. Dip cookies in icing or use a piping bag to decorate.
10. Let the cookies fully dry overnight.