EUREKA!

There's a family-owned bakery in my hometown that makes the most delicious smiley face cookies. Unfortunately I haven't been able to find one anywhere in my current town that tastes quite the same.

But thanks to a cookie recipe my sister Gretchen emailed me, and lots of googling to find just the right frosting recipes, I think I have finally succeeded in duplicating Liebermann's smiley face cookies (or at least as close as I can get at my house).

Obviously I need a little work with making the fudge smiles and eyes... but I intend to make these again and will get lots more practice.


Sweetheart Cookies
Source: Columbus Dispatch

1/2 cup butter
1 cup sugar
1 egg
1/4 teaspoon almond extract
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup milk
3 cups flour
3 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the egg, vanilla, and almond extract, and beat well. Sift the flour, salt, and baking powder together. Add alternately to the butter mixture with the milk.

Roll out the dough. Cut out. Bake 10 to 12 minutes or until lightly browned at the edges.

Glace Icing
Source: www.ourbestbites.com

1 lb powdered sugar (about 3 3/4 cups)
6 Tablespoons milk
6 Tablespoons light corn syrup
1 teaspoon extract (I used half almond and half vanilla)

With a whisk, combine sugar and milk until smooth. Then stir in corn syrup and extract.

Fudge Frosting
Source: Betty Crocker.com

1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup cocoa powder
1/4 cup milk
2 Tablespoons butter
1 Tablespoon corn syrup
1/2 to 3/4 cup powdered sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla

In a 2-qt saucepan, mix granulated sugar and cocoa powder. Stir in milk, butter, and the corn syrup. Heat to boiling, stirring frequently. Boil 3 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat. Beat in powdered sugar and vanilla with spoon until smooth and spreadable.