Remember; bake large cookies with large ones and small cookies with small ones for best results. Placing cookies of unlike sizes on the same sheet will result in uneven cooking.

INGREDIENTS

• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1 cup margarine
• 1 large egg
• ½ teaspoon almond or vanilla extract
• 1½ teaspoons baking powder
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 2½ cups all-purpose flour
• Red and green sugar crystals
• Colored jimmies
• Small silver-ball candies

1. Preheat oven to 350°F; grease a cookie or baking sheet.

2. In a large mixing bowl, beat together margarine and sugar.

3. Beat in egg, extract, baking powder, and salt. Gradually add in flour.

4. Add salt and baking powder. Gradually add in flour. Mix well.

5. On a floured surface, knead dough by hand and shape into a large ball. Wrap in plastic wrap and chill up to 2 hours, until firm.

6. Roll dough out on floured surface to ¼" thickness.

7. Cut out shapes with Christmas-theme cookie cutters.

8. Gather trimmings; roll out and cut more cookies. Decorate with sugar crystals, jimmies, and candies.

9. Bake in batches for 10–12 minutes, or until brown.