Spumoni Cookies

Total Time: 30 mins Preparation Time: 20 mins Cook Time: 10 mins

Ingredients

• 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup butter, softened
• 2/3 cup granulated sugar
• 1 egg
• 1 semi-sweet chocolate baking square, melted and cooled
• 1/3 cup finely chopped pistachios
• green food coloring
• 1/3 cup finely chopped candied red cherries
• 1/4 teaspoon almond extract
• red food coloring

Recipe

• 1 in bowl, combine flour, baking soda and salt, and set aside.
• 2 in large bowl, using electric mixer on medium speed, beat butter, sugar and egg until light and creamy, about 3 minutes.
• 3 on low speed, gradually add flour mixture and mix until smooth.
• 4 divide dough into thirds.
• 5 with wooden spoon, stir melted chocolate into one portion.
• 6 stir pistachios - with enough green food coloring to make pastel dough - into the second portion.
• 7 stir cherries, almond extract and enough red coloring to make pink dough into the third portion.
• 8 to distribute food coloring evenly, knead dough using palm of hand. add a little coloring at a time until right shade is reached. color will lighten some during baking.
• 9 line 12-by-2-by-2-inch empty wax-paper box with plastic wrap or wax paper.
• 10 press pink dough evenly into box.
• 11 cover with chocolate dough and then green dough.
• 12 press down firmly to make even layers.
• 13 cover and chill until firm, at least 3 hours.
• 14 fifteen minutes before baking, preheat oven to 375 degrees.
• 15 cut roll into 1/4-inch slices.
• 16 place about 2 inches apart on cookie sheet. bake in preheated oven 7-11 minutes or until set and lightly browned around edges.
• 17 cool for 5 minutes on sheet and then transfer to rack and cool completely.