This is a recipe I saved from when Alice was small. The notes from the recipe say, "This recipe is great for first time cookie makers and kindergartners. They are easy and lots of fun. The children in my classes have never messed up a batch of these cookies in the fourteen years I've been teaching kindergarten, and neither have my four adorable children."

Child-Proof Sugar Cookies

1 ¼ C confectioners' sugar
1 C butter flavored shortening
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla extract
¼ tsp almond extract
2 ¼ C all-purpose or whole wheat flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp cream of tartar

Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Lightly grease your cookie sheets.

Mix the sugar, shortening, egg, vanilla and almond extract until creamy. Mix in the flour, baking soda and cream of tartar. Make several small balls of dough. Roll out dough to about 1/8" or 1/4" thick. Cut into desired shapes with well floured cookie cutters. If desired, press candies, raisins, nuts or sprinkles into cookies. Place cookies onto the prepared sheets.

Bake for 8 to 10 minutes, depending upon whether you like hard or soft cookies. Remove cookies and let cool on a rack. Serve warm with a glass of milk. They are also good with ice cream wedged in the middle of two cookies.

Yield 3-4 dozen cookies

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