Christmas Wreath Cookies

Makes 6-Dozen 2-Inch Cookies

Ingredients:

2/3 cup Butter
1/2 cup Honey
1 Tbs. Water
2 1/4 cup Whole Wheat Flour
1 tsp. Baking Powder
1/2 of a Lemon's Peel; Finely Grated
1 Egg; Beaten
Rock Sugar or Colored Sugar Crystals
1/2 cup Blanched Almonds; Chopped

Bring all the ingredients to room temperature. Cream butter, honey and water together in a large mixing bowl until well blended. In a small, separate mixing bowl, mix flour, baking powder and lemon peel together. Add the flour mixture, a small portion at a time, to the honey mixture, blending continually. Knead the completed mixture into a soft ball, adding more flour if necessary. Wrap and chill dough for 1-hour.

Pre-heat your oven to 375-F degrees. On a floured surface, roll half the dough out into 1/2-inch thickness. Cut out circles with cookie cutter or floured rim of a glass. Cut out cookie wreath centers with a small cookie cutter or rim-floured thimble. Reserve centers to make more cookies.

Place cookies on buttered cookies sheet, about 1-inch apart. Lightly brush dough with beaten egg and sprinkle with sugar and chopped almonds. Bake for 8-10 minutes, until golden brown. Remove cookies from oven and cool on sheet until no longer soft. Remove to wire rack to cool completely. Repeat process with remaining cookie dough.

Store in an air-tight container or follow the tradition of The Netherlands and tie the cooled cookies with lengths of red ribbon to your Christmas Tree.