Recipe: Five Star Cookies (freeze ahead cookie dough with 5 variations)

FIVE STAR COOKIES

3/4 cup butter or margarine, softened
1 cup sugar
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/8 tsp salt
2 cups all-purpose flour

Place the butter and sugar in a mixer bowl. Beat with electric mixer to cream. Add egg, vanilla and salt. Beat until well combined. Stir in flour to make smooth dough.

Divide dough in half and form each half into cylinders about 1 1/2 inches wide and 9 inches long. Wrap each half tightly in wax paper and refrigerate at least 5 hours or overnight.

WRAPPED DOUGH MAY BE FROZEN UP TO 3 WEEKS.

WHEN READY TO BAKE:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease cookie sheets.

Cut dough into 1/4-inch thick slices. Arrange slices 1 1/2 inches apart on prepared cookie sheets.

Bake for about 12 to 15 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from cookie sheets and cool completely on wire racks.

Makes about 36 cookies

VARIATIONS:

POPPY SEED COOKIES:
Add 1/3 cup poppy seeds and 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon to the dough before adding the flour.

GINGERSNAPS:
Reduce butter to 1/2 cup and add 1/4 cup molasses to the butter-sugar mixture. Add 2 tsp ground ginger, 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon and 1/4 tsp ground cloves before adding flour.

LEMON-CLOVE COOKIES:
Eliminate vanilla and substitute 1/2 tsp pure lemon extract. Add 1/4 tsp ground cloves before adding flour. Stir 2 Tbsp lemon juice into 1 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar. Spread or drizzle over cooled cookies.

ALMOND CRESCENTS:
Reduce butter to 1/2 cup. Eliminate vanilla and substitute 1/2 tsp pure almond extract. Add 1/2 cup finely ground almonds before adding flour. Roll each 1/4-inch thick slice into a 2-inch cylinder. Bend the cylinders to form crescents. Roll baked and cooled cookies in confectioners' sugar.

THUMBPRINT COOKIES:
Reduce butter to 1/2 cup. Add 1/4 tsp ground cardamom and 1 tsp orange peel before adding flour. Roll each 1/4-inch thick slice into small balls. Press thumb into center of ball and fill indentation with 1/8 tsp raspberry preserves.

Source: Dallas Morning News; Dec 18, 1996