Christmas Cookies

Its that time of year again, and there is so much to do - decorating, shopping and cooking and baking - one of my all time favorite holiday cookie recipes is a very simple one, i call Spumoni Cookies - these gorgeous cookies are wonderful because you can make them ahead and store them in the refrigerator and slice and bake them as needed throughout the holiday season. There very pretty on a cookie tray and make fabulous gifts.

In the picture above I show a platter with some candy cane sugar cookies, some acorn cookies (sugar cookies shaped like acorns and then dipped into melted chocolate and coated with chopped walnuts) and in the center my spumoni cookies.

Spumoni Cookies

• 1 cup softened unsalted butter
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1 pinch of salt
• 1 egg
• 2 1/4 cups flour
• 1/4 cup chopped nuts (walnuts, pistachio, almonds)
• 2 Tbs chopped candied red cherries
• 1 oz pure chocolate (unsweetened) melted

Cream together butter, sugar, egg, salt and vanilla. Add flour. Divide dough into 3 parts
into one part add cherries, into another part add chocolate and more flour if needed, into the
last part add nuts and green food coloring if desired.
Line a 9x5x3 inch loaf pan with either parchment paper or aluminum foil down the bottom and up the ends of the pan. Layer the dough in evenly, first the cherry dough, then the chocolate and then the nut dough. Fold the parchment or foil over the dough and cover with plastic wrap.
Refrigerate for at least 4 hours, and up to 6 weeks. When ready to make carefully remove the
layered dough from the pan, and remove foil or paper. Slice into 1/4 inch thick slices then slice in halves or quarters and bake on an ungreased cookie tray at 35 F for 10 mins or until the bottoms are browned. Cool on a wire rack.