Pat Egan's Christmas Tree Cookies


 * Preparation time: 20 minutes chilling time: 4 hours baking time: 10 minutes Put flour, Sugar, butter, baking powder, salt, almond extract and egg into large bowl of an electric mixer.
 * Note: the logs can be divided and shaped into 3 sizes and sliced to form a 3-tiered tree.
 * These second-place winning cookies are easily shaped into trees that are edged with glittery green Sugar.
 * Of her simple cookies, Pat Egan of Dolton, Illinois writes, "They're not a fancy or gourmet cookie, but a simple symbol of the christmas season that is so close to my heart." from the Chicago Tribune annual food guide holiday cookie contest december 8, 1988.

Ingredients

 * 2 1/2 cup flour
 * 1 cup Sugar
 * 1 cup butter or margarine
 * Softened
 * 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
 * 1/4 tsp salt
 * 1/2 tsp almond extract
 * 1 	egg
 * 1/4 cup Green Sugar crystals, about
 * 1/4 cup Confetti or nonpareil candy
 * Decorations, optional

Directions

 * 1) Mix together, using low speed.
 * 2) Dough will be crumbly.
 * 3) Then knead dough with hands until mixture holds together.
 * 4) Remove 1/3 cup of the dough; wrap and refrigerate.
 * 5) Divide remaining dough in thirds.
 * 6) Using hands, roll each into a 6-inch log.
 * 7) Put Sugar crystals on a sheet of wax paper.
 * 8) Roll each log in the Sugar crystals to coat well; use the wax paper as a guide to press in crystals.
 * 9) Shape each log into a triangle, pressing gently on wax paper to give three sharp corners.
 * 10) Make sure to make 2 sides longer than the third side.
 * 11) Wrap each log well and refrigerate at least 4 hours or until dough is firm enough to slice.
 * 12) To this point, cookies can be made up to a week in advance.
 * 13) Heat oven to 350 degrees.
 * 14) To bake, slice logs crosswise into ¼-inch slices.
 * 15) Put slices about 1 inch apart on ungreased cookie sheets.
 * 16) For each cookie, shape about ½ teaspoon of the reserved 1/3 cup dough into a tree trunk.
 * 17) Attach to bottom underside of each tree.
 * 18) Sprinkle each cookie lightly with candy decorations, if desired.
 * 19) Bake until lightly browned, about 10 minutes.
 * 20) Carefully remove to wire racks.
 * 21) Cool completely.