Piggies Cinnamon And Piloncillo Cookies Recipes

PIGGIES: CINNAMON AND PILONCILLO COOKIES

Steps:

• In a saucepan, combine grated piloncillo or dark brown sugar with water and cinnamon. Place over medium heat, once it simmers, lower the heat to keep it at a medium-low simmer for about 15 minutes, until it thickens to a light syrup consistency. Turn off the heat and remove the cinnamon stick. You should have now about 1 1/4 cups piloncillo liquid, need not be exact! Add butter and honey into the hot liquid and stir until it dissolves.
• In a mixing bowl, combine flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Make a hole in the center and pour in the piloncillo mixture. Mix it all together with a spatula until it is well incorporated. Combine the eggs into the dough, which will be sticky and gooey. Seriously: it will be GOOEY and that is OK.
• Place plastic wrap in the bottom of a mixing bowl to have wings on the sides. With a spatula, push the dough onto the plastic wrap, wrap the dough, and refrigerate anywhere from 2 hours to a couple days.
• When you are ready to make the cookies, preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Grease a couple cookie or baking sheets with butter.
• Remove the dough from the refrigerator and sprinkle a couple tablespoons of flour on a countertop. Rub a bit of flour on the rolling pin as well. Roll out the dough which will now be firmer, until you have about 1/4 -inch thickness. Using piggie cookie cutters (or other shapes, but then you may need to change the name!) press down on the dough, moving it a bit on the counter top, to make it easier to lift the shaped dough.
• Place the piggies on the baking sheet as you shape them along. Gently brush the cookie tops with the remaining egg. Roll the leftover dough into a ball, wrap it with the plastic wrap, and place it in the freezer for at least 10 minutes before using it again, or it will be too soft and sticky. Repeat to make the remaining cookies.
• Bake the cookies anywhere from 7 to 9 minutes. Remove them from the oven and place on a cooking rack. You may sprinkle confectioners' sugar on top. Keep them covered so they remain soft.
• My boys love to eat them with a tall glass of milk, I like them with a hot cup of coffee.

PIGGIES (SUGAR AND CINNAMON PIE DOUGH COOKIES)

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 450 degrees F (230 degrees C). Spray a baking sheet with cooking spray, or line with parchment paper.
• Mix flour and salt together in a bowl, and use a pastry cutter to cut in 1/3 cup of shortening until the mixture forms pea-size balls. With a fork, form a small well in the center of the mixture, and pour in water, a couple of teaspoons at a time, and stir with the fork to mix in the water and form a dough. Incorporate each addition of water before adding the next, until about 3/4 of the flour mixture has formed a stiff dough. Work a little more water in with your hands, and shape the dough into a ball.
• Working on a well-floured work surface with a floured rolling pin, roll the dough out into a rectangle about 12 by 16 inches, and about 1/8-inch thick. Spread 1 tablespoon of shortening over the surface of the dough with a soft spatula, and sprinkle sugar all over the dough square. Sprinkle the dough with cinnamon. Pick up a long edge of dough, and tightly roll the dough into a log shape. With a sharp knife, slice the log into 3/4-inch thick slices. Place the slices onto the prepared baking sheet.
• Bake in the preheated oven until the cookies are lightly browned and sizzling on the bottom, about 8 minutes. Cool on paper towels; freeze extras for later.

MARRANITOS (MEXICAN PIG-SHAPED COOKIES)

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Line cookie sheets with parchment paper.
• In a large bowl, cream together brown sugar and shortening until smooth. Mix in 1 egg, milk, and vanilla until smooth. Stir in the baking soda, cinnamon, and molasses. Mix in flour until the dough is stiff enough to roll out.
• Roll dough out on a lightly floured surface to 1/4 inch thickness. Cut into cookies using a pig shaped cookie cutter. Place cookies 2 inches apart on the prepared baking sheets. Brush the remaining beaten egg over the tops of the cookies.
• Bake for 15 to 17 minutes in the preheated oven, or until the centers of the cookies appear dry and edges are lightly browned.

CUTE PIG COOKIES

Steps:

• In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs, sour cream and vanilla. Combine dry ingredients; gradually add to creamed mixture and mix well. , Drop by tablespoonfuls onto ungreased baking sheets. Bake at 375° for 10-12 minutes or until edges are lightly browned. Remove from pans to wire racks to cool completely., For frosting, in a large bowl, combine the confectioners' sugar, butter, milk, vanilla and food coloring. Frost cookies. , Cut sugar wafers into triangles; place two on each cookie for ears. With a toothpick, poke two holes in each marshmallow half for nostrils; press butterscotch chips into holes. Place noses on cookies; add chocolate chip eyes.