Shamrock Cookies

For each petal on the shamrock.
This brings a wish your way
Good health, good luck, and happiness
For today and every day.

This was number one on my St. Patrick's day treats. I still have three other things I will be making for tomorrows big day. Since my friends birthday is Friday and I am making her a cake, I didn't want to make anything big for dessert tomorrow. It was going to be an Irish cheesecake but that was just one too many cakes in one week for me. So I decided on cookies and I found a recipe online for sugar cookies that did not take a pound of butter. I had to alter the original recipe from Eating Well because their dough turned into more of a course meal than a dough. I was really excited to make these cookies, that is until I got half way through with icing them. Then I was ready to eat the rest of the cookies that weren't iced and call it a day. No one would know that cookies were missing and I wouldn't have to slave over them anymore. Can you tell that I am not big on icing? However they came out looking like cookies you would buy at a bakery with about a fraction of the calories, so it was worth all of the hard labor.

• 3/4 c. whole-wheat flour
• 3/4 c. cake flour
• 1 tsp. baking powder
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 2 Tbsp. butter
• 2 Tbsp. margarine, melted
  
• 1/2 c. sugar, or 1/4 c. Splenda Sugar Blend for Baking
• 2 Tbsp. canola oil
• 1 large egg
• 1 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract

Icing

• 2 c. powdered sugar
• 1/4 tsp. vanilla extract
• 1/4 tsp. almond extract
• 3-4 Tbsp. milk, warm
• 8 drops green food dye
  

1. Set a rack in the upper third of the oven; preheat to 350°F. Coat 2 baking sheets with cooking spray.
2. Whisk whole-wheat flour, cake flour, baking powder and salt in a medium bowl.
3. Melt butter in a small saucepan over low heat. Cook, swirling the pan, until the butter turns a nutty brown, about 1 minute, and pour into a mixing bowl. Add sugar (or Splenda), margarine and oil; beat with an electric mixer until smooth. Mix in egg and vanilla; beat until smooth. Add the flour mixture and mix on low speed until just combined. Divide the dough in half.
   
4. Working with one half at a time, roll dough on a lightly floured surface to a thickness of 1/8 inch. Cut out cookies with cookie cutters. Place the cookies about 1/2 inch apart on the prepared baking sheets.
5. Bake the cookies in the upper third of the oven, 1 sheet at a time, until slightly golden on the edges, 5-7 minutes. Do not over-bake. Transfer to wire racks to cool.
6. Once cookies are cooled mix together icing ingredients. Spread icing over cookies and place iced cookies back on cooling rocks until the icing hardens.