Ingredients

1 lb. butter (4 sticks)

½ cup sugar

4 cups flour

½ teaspoon almond extract

½ teaspoon salt

1 cup walnuts (optional, though recommended for optimum flavor)

powdered (confectioner's) sugar

Directions

Allow butter to soften to room temperature or warm in microwave for no more than 10 seconds. In a medium-sized mixing bowl, whisk together flour and salt.  In an electric mixer bowl, combine sugar and almond (or vanilla) extract and blend until smooth and creamy. With mixer on slow speed, gradually add flour to butter mixture, and mix until thoroughly blended.

Note: At this point, if you are using walnuts, crush the walnuts into very small crumbs (using any method you prefer), then add them to the dough mixture and mix with the electric mixer until well-blended.

Transfer cookie dough from electric mixer bowl to a flat work surface. Form the cookie dough into a ball, then cut into 3 equal pieces. Roll each piece into a long log-shaped roll, about 1 1/2 inches in thickness. Wrap each roll in a sheet of wax paper, and place in refrigerator to allow dough to become firm (about 1 hour).

Preheat oven to 350° F.

Remove dough from refrigerator and place on work surface. Using a smooth, sharp knife (not serrated) slice dough into 3/8-inch slices. Place sliced cookies on ungreased baking sheet about 1 inch apart. Bake for 20 minutes or until edges turn a light golden brown.

Allow cookies to cool. Once completely cooled, pour powdered sugar into a small paper bag. Place a few (2-4) cookies in the bag of powdered sugar. Roll down the top of the bag to seal, and gently turn the bag in different directions to completely coat the cookies with the sugar. Lightly handling the cookies, remove them from the bag and place them in a cookie container (they may be stacked). Note: You may also simply place the powdered sugar in a shallow bowl and coat the cookies one-at-a-time with your hands.