• In a large mixing bowl cream the softened butter and confectioners sugar. Beat in the almond extract.
• Add the flour and mix until completely combined with no streaks of flour visible.
• Divide the dough in half.
• Tint one half of the dough with the blue food coloring.
• Shape each half of the dough into an 8 inch long log.
• Wrap each half in plastic wrap.
• Refrigerate at least 1 hour.
• Unwrap each log of dough and cut in half lengthwise.
• Press one half piece of the blue dough and one half piece of the uncolored cookie dough halves together. Gently smooth the seams together. Repeat with the remaining cookie dough logs.
• Wrap each new log of cookie dough tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate until firm. 1 to 2 hours.

Slicing the cookie logs

• Remove one dough log from the refrigerator at a time to bake.
• Unwrap the dough and slice into ¼ inch slices. Place the cookie slices on a lined baking tray two inches apart,
• Bake for 8 to 10 minutes in a preheated 350 °Fdegree oven just until the edges are lightly golden.
• As you take the baked cookies out of the oven allow them to cool for 5 minutes on the tray and then transfer them with a thin metal spatula to a wire cooling rack to cool completely before dipping in melted chocolate.

Dipping the Cookies in Chocolate

• Fill a small deep bowl with white melting chocolate wafers and melt them in the microwave at 20, 10, and 5 second intervals. Stir the chocolate after each interval until it's smooth and creamy.
• Hold a cookie by the blue side and dip it into the melted white chocolate, making sure to cover the entire white area of the cookie. Allow any excess chocolate to drip off before placing the cookie on a parchment-lined tray to harden. Repeat this process for all the cookies.
• Once the chocolate has hardened, you can store the cookies in an airtight container or serve them right away. They make the perfect festive treat for any holiday gathering!
• Makes 60-65 two and a half inch round cookies.