Grandma Weld's Chocolate Chip Cookies

Decades ago, my mother got this recipe at a church party, and we've never known who Grandma Weld is. We sure love her, though, and would like to credit her for these cookies. Kids can help make them, and with decorative wrapping, they're a great homemade holiday gift. Put 8 to 10 in a cellophane gift bag, tie it with thread, and add a simple tag ($3 for 18, containerstore.com).

Hands-On Time: 25 minutes
Ready In: 2 hours
Yield: about 5 dozen cookies

2 sticks unsalted butter, softened
1/3 cup sugar
2 cups all-purpose flour
1-2 teaspoons pure almond extract
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 cup miniature chocolate chips

1. Cream butter and sugar with an electric mixer until light and fluffy, then beat in flour, almond extract to taste, and salt. Stir in the chocolate chips by hand. Wrap dough in plastic wrap and chill for at least 1 hour.
2. Heat oven to 300. Shape 1/2 tablespoon amounts of dough into 1 1/2-inch-long "fingers" and place them on ungreased cookie sheets. Bake cookies 1 sheet at a time in middle of oven for 20 to 25 minutes, watching carefully and breaking open a couple of cookies to check for doneness. The cookies should be firm to the touch and cooked through, but not brown; the bottoms should only be golden. Cool cookies on racks and store them in an airtight container, where they will keep for 2 weeks but will vanish long before that.