Apricot & Almond Cookies

Ingredients:

 • 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature

 • 1/2 cup sugar

 • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

 • 1/4 teaspoon salt

 • 1 egg

 • 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

 • 1/2 cup dried apricots, coarsely chopped

 • 1/4 cup slivered almonds, toasted

 • 1 cup confectioners’ sugar

 • 7 tablespoons almond flavored liqueur or Amaretto

Directions:

  1. In a large bowl, beat the butter, sugar, vanilla, cinnamon, and salt with an electric mixer until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Beat in the egg. Stir in the flour until just blended. Mix in the apricots and almonds.
  2. Transfer the dough to a sheet of plastic wrap and shape into a log, about 12-inches long and 1 1/2-inches in diameter. Wrap the dough in the plastic and refrigerate for 2 hours.
  3. Preheat the oven to 350º. Line 2 heavy baking sheets with parchment paper.
  4. Cut the dough log crosswise into 1/2 inch-thick slices. Transfer the cookies to the prepared baking sheets, spacing evenly apart. Bake until the cookies are golden around the edges, about 15 minutes. Let cool. 
  5. To make icing: place the confectioners’ sugar in a medium mixing bowl. Gradually whisk in the almond flavored liqueur or until the mixture is of drizzling consistency.