Christmas Butter Cookies

Stir together flour and salt. Cream butter; gradually beat in sugar and vanilla extract. Add dry ingredients to creamed mixture part at a time. Proceed with one of the following variations:

Almond Crescents:
Stir 1 cup (250 mL) ground almonds into dough. Form into 1-inch (2.5 cm) balls. Shape into crescents. Place on ungreased baking sheets. Bake one dozen at a time in 350 °F (180 °C) oven 12 to 15 minutes. Cool. Drizzle with melted semi-sweet chocolate.
Makes 6 dozen cookies.

Chocolate Buttons:
Stir 1-1/2 cups (375 mL) chopped toasted hazelnuts into dough. Form into 3/4 inch (18 mm) balls. Place on ungreased baking sheets. Bake one dozen at a time at 325 °F (160 °C) oven for 10 to 12 minutes. Cool. Fill indentation with melted semi-sweet chocolate.
Makes 9 dozens cookies.

Nice & Nutty Pecan Balls:
Stir 1-1/2 cups (375 mL) finely chopped toasted pecans into dough. Form into 1-inch (2.5 cm) balls; roll in ground pecans to coat, if desired. Place on ungreased baking sheets. Bake one dozen at a time in 325 °F (160 °C) oven 12 to 15 minutes. Garnish with melted semi-sweet chocolate.
Makes 6 dozen cookies.

Mini Chips Shorties:
Stir 1-1/2 cups (375 mL) miniature chocolate chips into dough. Form into 1-inch (2.5 cm) balls. Place on ungreased baking sheets; flatten slightly in criss-cross pattern with fork. Bake one dozen at a time in 325 °F (160 °C) oven 11 to 12 minutes. Cool.
Makes 6 dozen cookies.

Chocolate Nut-Tipped Logs:
Form dough into 1-inch (2.5 cm) balls; shape into 2-inch (5 cm) long cylinders. Place on ungreased baking sheets. Bake one dozen at a time in 325 °F (160 °C) oven 12 to 15 minutes. Cool. Dip ends in melted semi-sweet chocolate; then in finely chopped nuts.
Makes 6 dozen cookies.

Orange Walnut Crisps:
Stir 1 cup (250 mL) finely chopped toasted walnuts and 1 tbsp (15 mL) grated orange peel into dough. Form dough into 1/2-inch (12 mm) balls. Place on ungreased cookie sheets; flatten to rounds about 1-inch (2.5 cm) in diameter with flat bottomed glass dipped in sugar. Bake 2 dozen at a time in 325 °F (160 °C) oven 10 minutes. Cool. Dip half of each cookie into melted semi-sweet chocolate.
Makes 12 dozen cookies.