Preheat the oven to 400°F. In a large bowl, cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy, about five to seven minutes. Beat in the almond extract until fully incorporated.

In a separate bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, and salt. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture, mixing well. Avoid overmixing to prevent tough cookies.

Divide and roll the dough into 1-inch balls. Place them 2 inches apart on ungreased baking sheets. Coat the bottom of a glass with cooking spray, dip it in granulated sugar, and gently flatten the cookies. Re-coat the glass in sugar as needed.

Bake the cookies until the edges are lightly golden, about seven to nine minutes. Cool for one minute on the baking sheets before transferring them to wire racks to cool completely.

While the cookies cool, prepare the glaze. In a small bowl, whisk together confectioners’ sugar, almond extract, and enough water to achieve the desired consistency. Tint with food coloring if desired. Drizzle the glaze over the cookies and garnish with toasted sliced almonds

8 large cookies:412 calories, 3g fat (2g saturated fat), 9mg cholesterol, 43mg sodium, 9g carbohydrate (5g sugars, 0 fiber), 1g protein.