Italian Rum Butter Wreaths

My Nana makes these with Brandy, but since I wanted the frosting to be kid-friendly, I used Imitation Rum Extract and LOVED how they turned out! The combo of the nutmeg, orange, cherry, and rum is the perfect holiday blend!

Italian Rum Butter Wreaths

Makes about 2 dozen

Cookies

2 1/4 cups flour

2/3 cup butter

1/3 cup sugar

1 egg

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup maraschino cherries (drained and chopped)

2 tablespoons orange zest

1 teaspoon nutmeg

2 tablespoons rum or 1 teaspoon artificial rum flavoring

1. cream butter and sugar

2. add egg and rum flavoring and mix

3. add remaining ingredients and stir until dough forms

4. roll dough into ropes and pinch into circles

5. bake at 350 degrees for about 10 minutes, until tops feel dry to the touch but aren't brown

6. cool completely on racks

.

Glaze

1 1/4 cups powdered sugar

1 tablespoon milk (2 tablespoons if using rum flavoring)

1 tablespoon rum or 1/2 teaspoon rum flavoring

1/8 teaspoon nutmeg

1. whisk together ingredients until smooth

2. dip cool cookies upside down in the glaze and then let dry on a cooling rack

3. lick the bowl clean :)