Lucky Stars St. Patty’s Day Cookies

Preheat oven to 375 degrees, line baking sheets with foil

Cookie dough:

½ cup (1 stick) butter

½ cup butter flavored Crisco

1 ¼ cups sugar

2 eggs

¼ cup light corn syrup

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 tsp almond extract

3 cups unbleached flour

¾ tsp baking soda

¾ tsp baking powder

½ tsp salt

In a mixer bowl combine the butter, Crisco and sugar until smooth. Continue beating, add eggs, corn syrup and extracts. In a medium bowl combine flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt. Add dry ingredients and mix until sticky dough forms.

Turn out onto a generously floured surface and shape into a ball. Cut in half and wrap one half, placing it in the fridge to prevent it from softening too much while you cut out the others.

Roll out dough to desired thickness on floured surface and using a star cookie cutter (or other shape). Place shapes about two inches apart on prepared baking sheet.

Bake at 375 for 6-10 minutes depending on thickness, until light brown. Bake one sheet at a time. Continue the process with the other dough ball. Allow cookies to cool completely before frosting and decorating.

Buttercream frosting:

5 tablespoons butter

1/3 cup shortening

Dash of salt

4-5 cups powdered sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/2 teaspoon almond extract

¼ cup milk

Green food coloring

In a mixing bowl combine the butter, shortening and salt. Add about half of the powdered sugar until blended, then add the extracts, food coloring and alternate the remaining powdered sugar and milk until a nice spreadable frosting has formed. Adjust the color until it’s just the green you want.

Frost cooled cookies and add green sugar sprinkles or candies onto to decorate. Let the kids get in on the creativity and set up a little spot so they can decorate their own cookies.