1 1/2 c. powdered sugar
1 c. butter, softened
1 egg
1 tsp. vanilla
1/2 tsp. almond extract
2 1/2 c. all purpose or whole wheat flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. cream of tartar
Granulated sugar

Mix powdered sugar, butter, egg, vanilla, and almond extract. Stir in flour, baking soda, and cream of tartar. Cover and refrigerate at least 3 hours.

Heat oven to 375 degrees. Divide dough into halves. Roll each half 3/16 inch thick on lightly floured cloth-covered board. Cut into desired shapes with 2 to 2 1/2 inch cookie cutters; sprinkle with granulated sugar. Place on lightly greased cookie sheet. Bake until edges are light brown, 7-8 minutes. About 5 dozen.

If using self-rising flour, omit baking soda and cream of tartar.

CONFETTI BALLOONS: Divide dough into 3 equal parts. Tint each part with red, green, or yellow food color. Cover each part and refrigerate at least 3 hours. Heat oven to 375 degrees. Roll dough 3/16 inch thick. Cut into 2-3 inch rounds. Sprinkle with colored sugars. Bake on lightly greased cookie sheet 7- minutes. Arrange some cookies on pieces of string to resemble clusters of balloons. About 5 dozen.

COLOR WHEEL COOKIES: Divide dough into halves; divide 1 half into 4 equal parts. Tint each of the 4 parts with different food color. Cover each part and refrigerate at least 3 hours. Heat oven to 375 degrees. Roll dough 1/16 inch thick. Cut lightly greased cookie sheet. Cut colored doughs into 2 1/2 inch rounds. Cut each of the colored rounds into quarters. Place 1 quarter of each color on plain rounds. Bake 6-10 minutes. About 2 1/2 dozen.

COOKIE PUPPETS: After refrigerating, roll dough 1/4 inch thick. Cut with patterns traced from story books or with cookie cutters. Press lightly onto wooden skewers. Bake as directed and decorate as desired. About 2 dozen.

STAINED GLASS COOKIES: Divide dough into halves. Tint portions of 1 half of the dough with about 5 different food colors. Cover each part and refrigerate at least 3 hours. Heat oven to 375 degrees. Roll plain dough 1/8 inch thick on lightly floured cloth-covered board. Cut with tree, star, ball and other decorative cookie cutters. Place on lightly greased cookie sheet. Roll colored doughs 1/8 inch thick; cut out different shapes to fit on each plain cookie shape. Bake until golden, 7-8 minutes.