Snack: Big Easter Egg Cookies

Ingredients

1/2 c. toasted slivered almonds (see Note 1)
2 c. all-purpose flour
1 1/2 stick butter
1/3 c. confectioners’ sugar
1/3 c. packed light-brown sugar
1 1/2 tsp. almond extract
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 tsp. baking powder
1 large egg
2 tbsp. 1% lowfat milk

Instructions

Dough: Pulse toasted almonds in a food processor until finely chopped. Add flour; process until almonds are finely ground.
Beat butter, sugars, extracts and baking powder with mixer on medium speed until pale and fluffy. Beat in egg until very well blended. On low speed, beat in flour mixture and milk just until blended.
Divide dough in half. Form each portion into a 1-in.-thick disk. Wrap and refrigerate 3 hours or until firm.
Heat oven to 350 °F. Have ready baking sheet(s), a 4 1 ⁄2 x 3 1 ⁄4-in. egg-shaped cookie cutter or pattern (see Tip) and two 1-qt-size ziptop freezer bags, 1 fitted with a small star piping tip.
On lightly floured surface with a lightly floured rolling pin, roll out 1 portion dough (keep rest refrigerated) to 1 ⁄4 in. thick. With cookie cutter or pattern, cut out eggs. Place 1 in. apart on ungreased baking sheet(s). Reroll and cut scraps only once.
Bake 11 to 13 minutes until bottoms and edges just start to brown. Cool on baking sheet 1 minute before removing to wire rack to cool completely. Repeat with remaining dough.
Decorating Icing: Put sugar, water and powdered egg whites in a large bowl. Beat with mixer on medium speed 4 to 5 minutes or until glossy, stiff peaks form when beaters are lifted. Cover tightly until using.
Trace an outline of a smaller egg on paper. Cut out and place pattern about 3 ⁄4 in. from bottom edge of cookie. Faintly scratch outline of small egg with a toothpick.
Ice and decorate: Scrape 3 ⁄4 cup icing in­to bag with star tip. Seal bag and cover tip un­til ready to use. Tint 1 ⁄4 cup icing grass-green; scrape into a ziptop bag and seal bag.
For each color, put a 1 ⁄2 cup icing into a custard cup. (Keep remaining icing covered.) Adding food color a little at a time, tint 1 ⁄2 cup pale blue and others to desired shade. Stir in a few drops of water until thin enough to apply with a brush or icing spatula. Spread icing to edge of cookies and near outline of smaller egg. Let set about 20 minutes. Spread pale blue icing in small egg; let set.
Following the photo above as a guide, snip tiny corner of bag with green icing and pipe "grass." Lightly press on decorations; pipe some grass over decorations. (You can pipe your own icing pictures instead of purchased.) Using bag fitted with star tip, pipe a decorative edge around small and large egg areas. Let set.
To toast almonds, place in a medium skillet over medium heat and cook, stirring often, 3 to 4 minutes until fragrant.
Just Whites is available in supermarkets nationwide. Meringue powder, paste (gel) food color and Easter icing decorations can be foudn in supermarket baking sections or stores selling cake-decorating supplies.

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