Ingredients:

2  2/3 cups flour

2/3 cup sugar

1 stick butter, diced

2 eggs

2 tsp baking powder 

1 tsp vanilla 

1 tsp Fiori D’Arancio extract ( can substitute with 1/2 tsp lemon and 1/2 tsp orange extracts)

Zest from one lemon

Pinch of salt

Candy dots for centers

Directions:

Mix flour and butter until crumbly.

Add rest of ingredients and knead until smooth dough is formed.

Wrap dough in plastic wrap and rest in refrigerator for 1 hour.

When dough is chilled, remove from fridge and begin rolling on floured surface.

Preheat oven to 350F.

Roll into a 1/4” layer, sprinkling flour as needed to avoid sticking.

If dough is still sticky, roll between two pieces of parchment paper.

Cut shapes with your favorite cookie cutter and place on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet.

Continue until all dough is gone.

Place a candy dot in the middle of each cookie, assuming you made flowers, and bake for 15 minutes until bottoms are just beginning to get golden.

Remove from oven and completely cool cookies before serving.

Makes about 30 cookies depending on size and shape of your cookie cutter.

TIPS:

You can substitute butter with Crisco if you prefer but butter will give a more intense flavor to the cookies.

You can use any cookie cutter and decorate according to the season. Get creative! 

 Do not over-bake cookies! They should be light in color but, if you don’t watch them, they’ll go from golden to brown in seconds.