Surprise Sugar Stars

I can't claim these -- my friend Julie made them just before we left BG and they were the best thing I'd ever had. I know Christmas (cookie) season is all over and everyone's into their healthy new year's eating but I still had to post them -- maybe they would be a pretty Valentine's treat -- YUM YUM! (I didn't have a star cookie-cutter on hand so mine aren't as pretty as Julie's were...)

Ingredients:
1 cup butter, softened
1 1/4 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
4 cups flour (I made the first batch with 4 cups and the dough was too sticky to roll out with a rolling pin. Second batch I used about 4 1/2 cups and the dough was much easier to work with. I didn't notice a difference in quality at all.)
2 tsp. baking powder
2 tsp. ground nutmeg
1 tsp. baking soda
2/3 cup buttermilk

ICING:
2 c. confectioner's sugar
2-3 Tbsp. milk
1/2 tsp. almond extract

DIRECTIONS:
Cream butter and sugar. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Stir in vanilla. Combine the dry ingredients; add to the creamed mixture alternately with buttermilk. Refrigerate for 2-3 hours or until easy to handle. On a floured surface, roll out dough to 1/4-inch thickness. Cut with 2-in. star cookie cutter. Place half the stars on ungreased cookie sheets (I used parchment paper). Spoon 1 tsp. cherry pie filling into center of stars. Top with another star. Pinch edges to seal; cut a small slit in top of each cookie.Bake at 350 for 12-15 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool on wire racks.

For icing, combine confectioner's sugar, milk, and extract. Whisk until smooth and spread over cookies.

Yield--4 dozen.