Christmas

In a medium bowl, combine flour, baking powder and salt. In a large bowl, using a hand mixer or stand mixer, cream butter and sugar until fluffy, 2 to 3 minutes. One at a time, beat in eggs, then vanilla. In batches, slowly add dry ingredients, mixing on low speed until combined. Tint with food coloring as desired.

Divide dough into 2 disks; wrap each in plastic and refrigerate 1 hour. Working with 1 disk at a time, roll out between 2 large sheets of parchment to 1/4" thickness.

Using a 1 1/2" square cookie cutter, cut squares from dough. Remove dough from between squares. Repeat with second disk of dough. Using a 1" square cookie cutter, cut centers out of 1/3 of the cookies, removing dough from centers. (Each cookie needs 2 solid squares and 1 hollow square.) Reroll and cut scraps one time. Transfer sheets of parchment with cookies on them onto cookie sheets. Freeze cookies 1 hour.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Bake 1 sheet of cookies in center of oven 10 to 12 minutes, until edges are just golden. Cool cookies on wire racks. Repeat with remaining sheets of cookies.

Using white decorating icing as glue, adhere hollow squares to solid squares. Add sprinkles to cavities. Top with solid square cookies. Repeat with remaining cookies. Create ribbons on boxes with red and green decorating icing. Let stand until set.

Source: Hannaford fresh Magazine, December 2023