Frosted Shortbread
By: Helen Pitlick
Published: Friday, December 10, 2010 - 1:02am

Ingredients




3/4 cup butter
1/2 cup lard or shortening
1 1/2 cups sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
1/4 teaspoon almond extract
1 dash salt
3 cups all-purpose flour
 cup shortening
2 cups powdered sugar, sifted
1/4 cup milk
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla
2 1/2 cups powdered sugar, sifted
milk, if needed
food coloring, if desired

Preparation

1 Beat butter and lard or shortening in a mixing bowl with an electric mixer for 30 seconds. 2 Add sugar, vanilla, cream of tartar, almond extract and salt; beat till well combined. Beat in as much flour as you can. Stir in enough flour to make a stiff dough. 3 Shape dough into 1-inch balls. Place 2 inches apart on an un-greased cookie sheet. Press your thumb in the center of each. Bake in a 400 degree oven about 8 to 9 minutes or till bottoms are lightly browned and edges are set. 4 Let stand on baking sheet for 1 minute. Remove and cool on wire rack. Pipe colored Creamy Frosting into thumbprints. 5 To make frosting, beat shortening till fluffy. Gradually add 2 cups sifted powdered sugar, beating well. Slowly beat in milk and vanilla. Slowly beat in 2 1/2 cups sifted powdered sugar. Beat in additional milk if necessary, to make of piping consistency. Add a few drops of desired food coloring.

About


Instead of frosting can use melted chocolate or place pastel mint in center of each cookie after it is removed from the oven.