AMARETTO BUTTER COOKIES

Amaretto Butter Cookies image

Provided by Bev I Am

Categories Dessert

Time 1h45m

Yield 36 cookies

Number Of Ingredients 9

1/2 lb butter or 1/2 lb margarine, at room temperature,about
1 cup sugar
1 large egg, separated
3 tablespoons almond liqueur, such as amaretto or 1 tablespoon almond extract
2 teaspoons orange zest
2 cups all-purpose flour, about
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 1/4 cups sliced almonds

Steps:

In a large bowl, with a mixer on medium speed, beat 1 cup butter and sugar until smooth.
Add egg yolk, liqueur, and orange peel and beat until well blended.
In another bowl, mix 2 cups flour, baking powder, and salt.
Add to butter mixture; stir to mix, then beat until well blended.
Gather dough into a ball, divide in half, and flatten each portion into a disk; wrap each tightly in plastic wrap and freeze until firm enough to roll without sticking, about 30 minutes.
Unwrap dough.
On a lightly floured surface, with a floured rolling pin, roll one disk at a time to about 1/4 inch thick.
With a floured, 2-inch round cutter, cut out cookies.
Place about 2 inches apart on buttered 12- by 15-inch baking sheets.
Gather excess dough into a ball, reroll, and cut out remaining cookies.
In a small bowl, beat egg white with 1 teaspoon water to blend.
Brush cookies with mixture and sprinkle or arrange about 1/2 teaspoon sliced almonds on each.
Bake cookies in a 325° regular or convection oven until lightly browned, about 15 minutes; if baking two sheets at once in one oven, switch their positions halfway through cooking.
Let cookies cool on sheets for 5 minutes, then use a wide spatula to transfer to racks to cool completely.