Looking for something fancy and fabulous to bake and gift for the holidays?   Well, with a little imagination and creativity take a few simple ingredients such as flour, sugar, butter and eggs and get ready to strut their stuff in the kitchen!

Now, do you remember those wonderful glasses with a pattern-etched stamp or glass?  I know I do, only I remember them being back at my parents home when I was about 8 years old.  Well, who would have thought that these wonderful glasses would add touch of elegance to cookies?

Ingredients:

• 1 cup butter, softened
• 2/3 cup sugar
• 1 egg
• 2 tablespoons honey
• 1 tablespoon snipped fresh basil or 1 teaspoon dried basil, crushed
• 2 teaspoons finely shredded orange peel
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• extra sugar

Equipment:

• Pattern-etched stamp or glass ( I used a top cover of a sprinkle jar–refer to bottom picture)

Direction:

1. Preheat oven to 375°F.  Beat butter in a large bowl with an electric mixer on medium to high-speed for 30 seconds.  Add 2/3 cup sugar.  Beat until combined, scraping side of bowl occasionally.  Beat in egg, honey, basil, orange peel, and vanilla until combined.  Beat in as much flour as you can with the mixer.  Using a wooden spoon, still in remaining flour.
2. Place additional sugar in a shallow bowl.  Set aside.
3. Shape dough into 1 inch balls.  Place balls 2 inches apart on ungreased cookie sheets.  Dip the patterned bottom of a glass or cookie stamp into sugar; using glass or stamp, flatten balls to 1/4-inch thickness.
4. Bake for 6-8 minutes or until bottoms are light brown.  Cool on cookie sheets or wire racks for 1 minute.  Transfer cookies to wire racks; cool.  MAKE approximately 48 COOKIES.

TIP:  For a subtle nutty flavor, beat in 1/4 teaspoon almond extract with the honey and basil.

STORAGE:  Layer cookies between sheets of waxed paper in an airtight container; cover.  Store at room temperature for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 3 months.

Original recipe adapted from  100 best cookies (Better Homes and Gardens Special Interest Publications)