Grammys Spice Cookies Nytimes 2012 December Recipes

GRAMMY'S SPICE COOKIES

Steps:

• Heat oven to 375 degrees. Line several baking sheets with parchment paper or nonstick liners.
• Using an electric mixer, beat 12 tablespoons butter with the granulated sugar, molasses and egg until fluffy, about 2 minutes. Slowly beat in flour, baking soda, spices and salt.
• Shape dough into walnut-size balls and place 2 inches apart on baking sheets. Bake until firm, about 10 to 12 minutes. Let cool on wire racks.
• To make the icing, beat remaining 4 tablespoons butter with the confectioners' sugar until smooth. (Go slowly so you don't create a sugar storm.) Beat in the vanilla and enough cream or milk, and whiskey (if using), to make a spreadable frosting. Slather on fully cooled cookies.

OATMEAL SPICE COOKIES

Steps:

• Sift flour with spices, salt and baking soda. Set aside.
• In large bowl of electric mixer, cream butter. Add vanilla and both sugars, and beat well. Add eggs and beat to mix.
• On low speed, beat in sifted dry ingredients.
• Stir in oats with spoon.
• Line two cookie sheets with aluminum foil, shiny side down. Measure out 1/4 cup of batter for each cookie and place 5 to 6 cookies on each sheet.
• Bake at 375 degrees for 12 to 15 minutes on racks that have been placed on the second and third rungs in the oven. Reverse sheets once during baking. The cookies should still be quite soft when they are done. Cool on rack before removing from sheet.

A SPICE COOKIE TO SHARE

Steps:

• Whisk together the flours, coffee and spices; set aside.
• Working with a mixer fitted with a paddle attachment (or a hand mixer), mix the pieces of cold butter, both sugars and the salt on low speed for about 3 minutes, until the mixture forms clumps and then comes together. You'll see pieces of butter here and there - you're supposed to. Add the dry ingredients all at once, and then pulse the mixer on and off, just until the risk of flying flour has passed. Mix on low-medium speed until you've got a bowl of crumbs, about 3 minutes. Lightly whisk the egg and honey together. With the mixer on low, add the egg mixture gradually, and then continue to mix until the dough forms clumps. Squeeze a bit of the dough, and it will hold together. Reach into the bowl, and press the dough into a ball. Turn it out onto a sheet of parchment paper.
• Press the dough down, cover it with another sheet of paper and roll it out until it's about 1/8-inch thick. It can be any shape - round, oval, rectangular, raggedy-edged or pristine. It will probably be about 12-by-15 inches, but the thickness is more important than the dimensions. Being neat doesn't buy you anything with this cookie. Slide the sandwiched dough onto a baking sheet, and refrigerate it for at least 1 hour (or up to 3 days). If you prefer, you can wrap the dough well and freeze it for up to 2 months; keep it at room temperature for about 20 minutes before baking.
• When you're ready to bake, center a rack in the oven, and heat it to 350. Remove the top sheet of paper; leave the dough on the paper-lined baking sheet. If you're using the sanding sugar, sprinkle the dough with about 2 tablespoons' worth.
• Bake the cookie for 20 to 24 minutes - the edges will be darker than the middle. Press the center of the cookie, and it should be firm with just a tiny bit of give; it will feel firmer as you work your way out. Transfer the baking sheet to a rack, and allow the cookie to come to room temperature. If you're not eating it immediately, you can wrap the cookie well, and keep it at room temperature for about 4 days. Make sure the room is dry - humidity is a crisp cookie's nemesis.
• You can serve the cookie whole, letting everyone break off pieces (of course, there will be crumbs - they're part of the cookie's charm), or you can break or cut it in the kitchen and serve the pieces as you would any cookie. Chocolate or caramel sauce (or both) for dipping is optional, but scrumptious.

GRAMMY'S ICE BOX COOKIES

Steps:

• In a bowl, whisk the flour, baking soda, and cinnamon together until evenly blended; set aside. Beat the margarine, white sugar, and brown sugar with an electric mixer in a large bowl until smooth. Add the eggs one at a time, allowing each egg to blend into the margarine mixture before adding the next. Mix in the flour mixture until just incorporated. Fold in the chopped nuts; mixing just enough to evenly combine.
• Scrape the dough onto a sheet of waxed paper, and form into a log. Roll tightly in the waxed paper, and refrigerate until firm, about 4 hours.
• Preheat an oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Spray baking sheets with cooking spray.
• Unwrap the dough, and cut into 1/4-inch slices. Place the cookies onto baking sheets, spaced 1-inch apart. Bake in the preheated oven until the edges are golden, 8 to 10 minutes. Allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheet for 1 minute before removing to a wire rack to cool completely.

GRAMMY’S SPICE COOKIES (NYTIMES 2012 DECEMBER)

Steps:

• PREPARATION 1. Heat oven to 375 degrees. Line several baking sheets with parchment paper or nonstick liners. 2. Using an electric mixer, beat 12 tablespoons butter with the sugar, molasses and egg until fluffy, about 2 minutes. Slowly beat in flour, baking soda, spices and salt. 3. Shape dough into walnut-size balls and place 2 inches apart on baking sheets. Bake until firm, about 10 to 12 minutes. Let cool on wire racks. 4. To make the icing, beat remaining 4 tablespoons butter and the confectioners' sugar until smooth (go slowly so you don't create a sugar storm). Beat in vanilla and enough cream or milk, and some whiskey if using, to make a spreadable frosting. Frost cookies after they've cooled. YIELD About 3 dozen

GRAMMY BURNHAM'S MOLASSES COOKIES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease baking sheets.
• In a large bowl, cream together shortening and sugar until smooth. Beat in the eggs one at a time, then stir in the molasses. Combine the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, allspice, and ginger; blend into the molasses mixture. Stir in raisins. Drop dough by tablespoonfuls onto prepared baking sheets.
• Bake for 12 to 15 minutes in preheated oven, or until the center is set. Cool on wire racks.