Summertime Cookies

  • 1 cup butter, softened
  • 3/4 cup sugar
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1/2 teaspoon almond extract
  • 2 large eggs, room temperature
  • 2-1/4 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon cream of tartar
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

FROSTING:

  • 1/4 cup butter, softened
  • 3 cups confectioners' sugar
  • 1 teaspoon almond extract
  • 2 to 4 tablespoons hot water
  • Blue food coloring
  • Optional decorations: Bear-shaped crackers, fish-shaped graham crackers, Airheads candies, gummy sour rings

If you are great at baking sugar cookies you can bake them yourself, but if not, you can keep it simple and use a sugar cookie mix, then let the decorating fun begin. Kids can create their own island oasis theme cookie decoration or any theme they'd like, and then enjoy eating their creations. Preheat oven to 350°. Cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy; beat in extracts and 1 egg at a time. In another bowl, whisk together flour, cream of tartar, baking soda, salt and nutmeg; gradually beat into creamed mixture.

Drop dough by rounded tablespoonfuls 3 inches apart onto parchment-lined baking sheets; flatten slightly with bottom of a glass dipped in sugar. Bake until edges begin to brown, 8-10 minutes. Remove from pan to wire racks; cool completely.For frosting, beat butter, confectioners' sugar, extract and enough water to reach desired consistency; tint blue with food colouring. Spread over cookies. Decorate as desired.

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