Spice Gem Cookies Old Time Recipes

OLD-FASHIONED GINGER SPICE COOKIES

Steps:

• In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, salt, ginger, cinnamon, allspice, cloves, and black pepper.
• In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment (or beaters), beat the butter and the granulated and light brown sugars until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Beat in the egg and molasses. Add the flour mixture and mix until combined. Chill the dough in the refrigerator until firm, a few hours.
• Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 350°F and set two racks in the centermost positions. Line two 13 x 18 in baking sheets with parchment paper.
• Form tablespoons of dough into balls and roll in the raw sugar to coat generously. Arrange the dough balls about 2½ in apart on the prepared baking sheets. Bake for 9 to 10 minutes, rotating the sheets from top to bottom and front to back midway through, until puffed and set. Let cool on the baking sheets for a few minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days.
• Freezer-Friendly Instructions: The Cookie Dough can be Frozen for up to 3 Months: Roll the dough into balls, let set on a baking sheet in the freezer, then place in a sealable bag and press out as much air as possible. Bake as needed directly from the freezer. (Allow 1 to 2 minutes longer in the oven.) To Freeze After Baking: Let the cookies cool completely and store in an airtight container separating layers with parchment paper or aluminum foil. Before serving, remove the cookies from the container and let them come to room temperature.

SPICE GEM COOKIES, OLD TIME RECIPE

Steps:

• Cream together butter and sugar
• Add egg and apple sauce to butter mixture and beat well.
• Add flour til smooth.
• Stir in baking soda, cloves, cinnamon and nutmeg.
• Add raisins to mixture and drop from teaspoon onto greased baking sheet.
• Bake 10-12 minutes at 350C until golden brown.
• Cool on wire rack.

LITTLE GEM COOKIES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Line baking sheet with parchment paper. Combine first 3 ingredients using a food processor. Cut in butter until the mixture resembles coarse meal. In a small bowl, beat the yolks with the vanilla extract and add to the flour mixture. Beat until completely blended. Pinch off pieces of dough and roll into balls. Place on the lined cookie sheet. Make indentation with thumb, fill the hole with preserves and press on a pecan half. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes.

DECORATED SPICE COOKIES

Steps:

• Sift together flour, ginger, cinnamon and cloves.
• Mix margarine and sugar until fluffy; stir in Karo syrup.
• Add dry ingredients.
• DO NOT CHILL DOUGH!
• Roll out 1/8” thick on floured surface.
• Cut into shapes.
• Place on baking sheet.
• Bake in 350 degree F oven about 10 minutes or until lightly browned.
• Cool and decorate.

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.

OLD-FASHIONED MOLASSES COOKIES

Steps:

• In large bowl, mix 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar, the shortening, molasses and eggs until well blended. In small bowl, dissolve baking soda in water; stir into molasses mixture. Stir in remaining cookie ingredients until well blended. Cover and refrigerate at least 2 hours.
• Heat oven to 375°F. Lightly grease cookie sheet. On floured surface, roll dough 1/4 inch thick. Cut with floured 2 3/4-inch round cutter (or cut with clean food can with both ends removed, such as rectangular-shaped pork luncheon meat can). Place about 2 inches apart on cookie sheet.
• Bake 8 to 10 minutes or until light brown. Remove from cookie sheet to cooling rack. Cool completely, about 30 minutes.
• In 2-quart saucepan, sprinkle gelatin on cold water to soften; stir in 1 cup granulated sugar. Heat to a rolling boil; reduce heat. Simmer uncovered 10 minutes. In large bowl, place powdered sugar and hot gelatin mixture. Beat with electric mixer on medium speed about 2 minutes or until foamy. Add vanilla, baking powder and salt; beat on high speed 12 to 15 minutes or until soft peaks form. Frost bottoms of cookies with frosting. Let stand until frosting is dry, 2 to 3 hours, before storing.

SPICE COOKIES

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Lightly grease 2 baking sheets.
• Combine sugar, butter, eggs, cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves in a bowl; beat with an electric mixer until creamy. Combine flour, currants, and baking soda in a separate bowl. Stir into the butter mixture alternately with tablespoons of milk until the flour is fully incorporated.
• Drop spoonfuls of batter onto the prepared baking sheets. Press down lightly with a fork. Dip fork in sugar or water if it sticks.
• Bake in the preheated oven until golden brown, 10 to 15 minutes. Let stand on the baking sheets for 1 minute before removing to a wire rack to cool completely.

SPICE COOKIES

Steps:

• Soak the currants in the brandy for 10 minutes. Mix together the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, spices, salt, and dark chocolate. Mix well with a whisk.
• Put the butter, sugar, vanilla, and lemon and orange zest in a stand mixer fitted with the beater attachment and beat to combine but not aerate much, about 1 minute. With the mixer running, slowly add the egg and mix for about 1 minute. Add the dry ingredients, followed by the currants and brandy. Mix until everything comes together.
• Gently knead the dough in the bowl with your hands until it comes together and is uniform. Divide the dough into 1 3/4-oz / 50g chunks and shape each chunk into a perfectly round ball. Place the balls on 1 or 2 baking sheets lined with parchment paper, spacing them about 3/4 inch / 2 cm apart, and let rest in the fridge for at least 1 hour.
• Preheat the oven to 375°F / 190°C. Bake the cookies for 15 to 20 minutes, until the top firms up but the center is still slightly soft. Remove from the oven. Once the cookies are out of the oven, allow to cool for only 5 minutes, and then transfer to a wire rack. While the cookies are still warm, whisk together the glaze ingredients until a thin and smooth icing forms. Pour 1 tablespoon of the glaze over each biscuit, leaving it to drip and coat the biscuit with a very thin, almost transparent film. Finish each with 3 pieces of candied peel placed at the center. Leave to set and serve, or store in an airtight container for a day or two.

SUGAR AND SPICE COOKIES

Steps:

• Mix the flour, the baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves together in a bowl.
• Cream the butter and brown sugar together with an electric mixer in a large bowl until smooth; beat the egg and vanilla extract into the butter mixture. Add the flour mixture in small amount to the butter mixture, beating each addition until blended. Form the dough into a ball, wrap with plastic wrap, and refrigerate at least 1 hour or up to 3 days.
• Preheat an oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease baking sheets.
• Roll the dough out on a floured work surface with a rolling pin to about 1/8-inch thickness. Cut with 2-inch cookie cutters. Arrange the cut cookies onto the prepared baking sheets.
• Bake in the preheated oven until the edges begin to brown, 10 to 12 minutes. Allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheet for 1 minute before removing to a wire rack to cool completely.