Decades ago, my mother got this recipe at a church party, and we've never known who Grandma Weld is. We sure love her, though, and would like to credit her for these cookies. Kids can help make them, and with decorative wrapping, they're a great homemade holiday gift. Put 8 to 10 in a cellophane gift bag, tie it with thread, and add a simple tag ($3 for 18, containerstore.com).
What you'll need
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 cup miniature chocolate chips
- 1/3 cup sugar
- 2 sticks unsalted butter, softened
- 1-2 teaspoons pure almond extract
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
Makes about 5 dozen cookies.
How to make it
Cream butter and sugar with an electric mixer until light and fluffy, then beat in flour, almond extract to taste, and salt. Stir in the chocolate chips by hand. Wrap dough in plastic wrap and chill for at least 1 hour.
Heat oven to 300° F. Shape 1/2 tablespoon amounts of dough into 1 1/2-inch-long "fingers" and place them on ungreased cookie sheets. Bake cookies 1 sheet at a time in middle of oven for 20 to 25 minutes, watching carefully and breaking open a couple of cookies to check for doneness. The cookies should be firm to the touch and cooked through, but not brown; the bottoms should only be golden.
