Almond Angel Cookies

 

1

cup butter or margarine, softened

1

cup sugar

2

tablespoons milk

1

teaspoon vanilla

1/2

teaspoon almond extract

1/4

teaspoon salt

2 1/2

cups Gold Medal® all-purpose flour

2

tablespoons Betty Crocker® yellow sugar

2

tablespoons Betty Crocker® blue sugar

96

small pretzel twists

2

tablespoons sliced almonds

1

tube (4.25 oz) Betty Crocker® yellow decorating icing

1

tube (4.25 oz) Betty Crocker® pink decorating icing

• 1 In large bowl, beat butter with electric mixer on medium-high speed until light and fluffy. Add sugar; beat until creamy, scraping bowl frequently. Stir in milk, vanilla, almond extract and salt. Stir in flour until well mixed.
• 2 Measure 1/2 cup of dough into resealable food-storage plastic bag; refrigerate. Divide remaining dough in half; roll each into a 6-inch log. Roll 1 log in yellow sugar; roll other log in blue sugar. Wrap logs separately in plastic wrap or waxed paper. Chill until firm, at least 2 hours.
• 3 Heat oven to 350°F. For each cookie, place 2 pretzels with flat sides touching on ungreased large cookie sheets, 3 inches apart. Cut dough into 48 (1/4-inch) slices. (If dough cracks, allow to sit at room temperature a few minutes.) To make angel body, fold in opposite sides at top of each slice to make triangular-shaped body; place each slice on top of 2 pretzels, so double rounds of pretzels form angel wings at each side. Press lightly into pretzels. Using reserved dough from plastic bag, roll 1/2 teaspoon dough into ball; place on top for head of each angel. Press 2 sliced almonds into dough to make song book. Repeat to make 48 cookies.
• 4 Bake 11 to 14 minutes or until edges are firm and just begin to brown. Cool 2 to 3 minutes. Remove from cookie sheet to cooling rack. Cool completely, about 15 minutes.
• 5 Pipe yellow icing on cooled cookies to make eyes and hair. Use pink decorating icing to draw mouths. Let stand until frosting is set.