Instructions: * Can use half vanilla and half almond flavoring.

** top with anything the kids like such as coconut, cherries, raisins, chocolate chips, or let them roll some of these things right into the cookies.

Cream butter and sugar together. Add 2 slightly beaten eggs and mix in. Blend in vanilla and/or almond flavoring.

Add flour on top, then sprinkle baking powder and salt over flour. (I never sift or mix dry ingredients together and they always come out good). Form into a ball (or a few smaller balls) and put in a plastic bag. Let chill in the fridge for at least an hour before using.

Form into whatever shape you want. Make long ropes of dough by rolling between hands and form into letters or shapes or seasonal things like little pumpkins, trees etc.

Bake at 375 degrees for a very short time in the centre of the oven. Take out just when there is a hint of brown on the cookie edges. You might need a couple of baking pans so you cook cookies of similar thickness and size together since the smaller, thinner cookies will cook a lot faster. It helps to put the larger, thicker cookies closer the edges and the smaller ones in the centre of the cookie sheet. The ideal thickness is about 1/4 inch. If the cookies are different sizes and you put them on one baking sheet, remove the smaller ones as they are cooked and place on a rack so nobodys cookies are burned.

Keep leftover dough in a plastic bag in fridge.

NOTES : These cookies are great for little (and bigger) kids to play with before cooking. They can form them into little round cookies, shape them into things such as letters and numbers or just about anything they want. Its a great learning tool. They can learn shapes and the alphabet. It gets them to talk and learn a little about cooking. Its gives moms and dads a chance to do a hands-on activity with their children. It uses up small bits of leftover raisins, nuts, sprinkles, etc.

And...you get a snack at the end. The dough can go through a lot of handling and stays good for cooking (except for what falls on the floor).

Because the dough should sit about an hour before forming its great to make ahead and have ready in the fridge for when the kids come home from school or sports or whatever.

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