Stir 2 ounces unsweetened baking chocolate, melted and cooled, into butter-sugar mixture. Omit food color.

Substitute rum extract for the almond extract. Tint dough with food colors. After baking, spread cooled cookies with Butter Rum Glaze: Melt 1/4 cup butter or margarine in 1-quart saucepan; remove from heat. Stir in 1 cup powdered sugar and 1 teaspoon rum extract. Stir in 1 to 2 tablespoons hot water until glaze is spreadable. Tint glaze with food color to match cookies.

Stir in 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon, 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg and 1/4 teaspoon ground allspice with the flour.

Before baking spruce up your Spritz with: • Currants, raisins, small candies, chopped nuts, slices of candied fruits or candied fruit peels arranged in festive patterns. After baking decorate with: • Edible glitter, colored sugar, nonpareils, red cinnamon candies or finely chopped nuts. A drop of corn syrup will hold the decorations in place nicely.

Before baking spruce up your Spritz with: • Currants, raisins, small candies, chopped nuts, slices of candied fruits or candied fruit peels arranged in festive patterns. After baking decorate with: • Edible glitter, colored sugar, nonpareils, red cinnamon candies or finely chopped nuts. A drop of corn syrup will hold the decorations in place nicely.