Sweet Perfection Cookies

Preheat the oven to 325F. Butter 2 cookie sheets

Toast the almonds on a cookie sheet for 8 to10 minutes. Rub the nuts between paper towels to remove skins. Let cool.

Combine the anise seeds and sambuca in a small microwave-safe bowl. Cover and cook in the microwave for 15 seconds, set aside.

Combine the flour, baking powder, and salt in a large bowl, set aside.

Cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs and anise mixture.

Gradually stir in the flour mixture.

Divide the dough in half and shape it into 2 logs about 1/4 inch thick, 1 1/2 inches wide, and 3 inches long. Place on the cookie sheet 2 inches apart. Bake for 18 to 22 minutes. Let cool for 5 minutes.

With a serrated knife, slice 1/2 inch cookies. Place upright on the cookie sheets and bake for 10 minutes. Transfer to a rack to cool completely.

Melt the chocolate in a double boiler over low heat. Brush the tops of the logs with the chocolate and let cool to harden.

Preheat the oven to 300F. Ready 2 ungreased cookie sheets.

Make the eggnog cookies:Combine the flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, and 1/2 teaspoon of the nutmeg in a medium bowl, set aside.

Cream the butter and granulated sugar until fluffy. Beat in the eggnog, vanilla, and egg yolks until smooth.

Gradually stir in the flour mixture until just blended. Drop rounded-teaspoon mounds of the dough on the cookie sheets 2 inches apart.

Combine the remaining 2 teaspoons nutmeg and the course sugar in a small bowl. Sprinkle the nutmeg-sugar onto the cookies. Bake for 15 or 20 minutes, until light brown. transfer to a rack to cool completely.

Make the eggnog cream filling: Beat the butter, confectioners' sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg with an electric mixer until fluffy. Beat in the eggnog. Refrigerate for 20 minutes to make the filing firm.

Spread the filling on half of the cookies. Top with the remaining cookies to create sandwiches.

First prepare the short bread cookie.

Combine the flour and salt in a medium bowl, set aside. Cream the butter and sugar until light. Beat in the vanilla.
Gradually stir in the flour mixture. Form the dough into a flat disk, wrap in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for 1 hour.
Line 2 cookie sheets with parchment paper.

Roll the dough out on a floured work surface to 1/4 inch thick. Cut the cookies 1/2 inch bigger than your photo transfer images. This will leave a 1/4 inch border all the way around. Place the shapes on the cookie sheets 2 inches apart, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for 30 minutes.

Preheat oven to 350 F. Bake the cookies for 10 to 14 minutes, until light golden. Let cool on the pans for 30 minutes. Transfer to a rack to cool further.

Cut out the photo transfers and freeze for 20 minutes or until firm. Spread a light coat of icing on a cookie. While the icing is still wet, peal the transfer off the backing paper and set it on top of the icing. Press down gently to remove air bubbles.

Pipe a border of royal icing around the transfer using a small writing tip. Let dry.
Then prepare the Royal Icing

To make 1 cup of Royal Icing.
2 cups confectioners' sugar
1 teaspoon powdered egg whites
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
3 tablespoons water

Combine the confectioners' sugar, powdered egg whites, vanilla, and water until blended. Add more water or sugar until thick and stiff.