Marzipan Christmas Cookies

Ingredients

• 2 3/4 cups flour (all-purpose, unsifted)
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup brown sugar (light, not dark)
• 8 ounces almond paste
• 1 teaspoon cardamom (ground)
• 1 cup butter (softened)
• 1/2 cup almonds (blanched, chopped)
• 1 cup sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 cup sour cream
• 2 egg whites
• 1 cup cherry preserves

Directions

1. 1

   Sift flour with cardamom, baking soda, and salt.

2. 2

   Soften butter. With electric mixer at medium speed, beat butter, brown sugar, and sour cream until light and fluffy.

3. 3

   At low speed, beat in flour. Remove from mixer and stir in nuts.

4. 4

   Divide dough in half. Shape each half into a roll about 1-1/2" in diameter. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight.

5. 5

   Preheat oven to 350. Cut rolls into 1/4" slices and place on ungreased cookie sheets.

6. 6

   Beat egg whites slightly with electric mixer. Crumble almond paste into egg whites, beating until added. Add sugar two tablespoons at a time, beating until well blended. Place mixture in a pastry bag with a #2 star tip and pipe a circle around the edge of each cookie (to form a wreath shape).

7. 7

   Bake 12-15 minutes, or until light brown.

8. 8

   When cooled, fill center of wreaths with cherry preserves.