By Carla Vigos | Laguna Woods Globe cooking columnist

Italian families have certain traditions, and a lot of them circle around food. If you ever go to an Italian wedding on the East Coast, you would be amazed by the cookie table. Unless you have seen it, you could not fathom how many cookies and how much variety there is.

In my Italian family, my mother would start making her cookies for the holiday season during the first part of December. She would make Italian cookies that would be decorated with icing and candy sprinkles, fig cookies called cuccidati, butter balls, and pizzelles, traditional Italian waffle cookies.

Family and friends would share their cookies, and all would benefit. Traditionally, I make a variety of cookies, and so does my daughter, Angela.

With the onset of the holiday season, here is an easy recipe for cookies that are light and buttery. Eat them all yourself (so easy to do) or share with friends or family.

If you have any question or comments, email me at cjvigos@yahoo.com

Italian Angel Cookies

INGREDIENTS

1 cup butter at room temperature

1/2 cup powdered sugar

1 1/4 cup flour

1/2 cup cornstarch

1/2 teaspoon almond extract

PROCEDURE

With an electric mixer cream the butter. Add the powdered sugar and beat until light and fluffy.

In a separate bowl, mix together the flour and cornstarch. Now add this gradually to the creamed mixture and blend, scraping down the sides. Add the almond extract and beat until well blended.

Set the oven to 325 degrees. I use a nonstick baking mat on a cookie sheet, but it is not necessary.

Shape the dough into 1-inch balls and place on the cookie sheet. Flatten the balls with the bottom of a glass that has been dipped in powdered sugar. Repeat this process. Bake for 20 to 22 minutes till just when the cookies are getting a little golden on the edge. The cookies will spread while baking, so allow for that.

Cool on the cookie sheet for 10 minutes before transferring to a cooling rack. Makes 24 cookies.