2 ¼ cups all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon salt

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened

1 ½ cups granulated sugar

1 egg

1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract

½ 1/2 teaspoon almond extract

Confectionery coating, melted

Red and blue colored sugars, patriotic nonpareils, patriotic sprinkles, flag icing decorations

Cookie sticks

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

In medium bowl, combine flour, baking powder and salt. In large bowl, beat butter and sugar with electric mixer until light and fluffy. Beat in egg and extracts. Add flour mixture to butter mixture 1 cup at a time, mixing after each addition. Do not chill dough. Divide dough into 2 balls. On a floured surface, roll each ball into a circle about 12 inches in diameter and 1/8 inch thick. Dip star cookie cutters in flour before each use; cut a variety of star sizes.

Bake cookies on ungreased cookie sheet 6 to 7 minutes for small cookies, 8 to 10 minutes for larger cookies, until cookies are lightly browned. Cool on cookie sheet 2 minutes; remove to cooling grid and cool completely.

Decorate as desired by dipping cooled cookies into melted candy or pipe melted candy along edges of cookies; sprinkle immediately with colored sugars, nonpareils or sprinkles. Attach icing decorations with melted candy; let dry. Attach cookie sticks to backs of cookies with melted candy; let dry. Makes 3 dozen 3 inch pops.