Spiced Vanilla Cookies Recipes

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.

SHAPED VANILLA COOKIES

Steps:

• Cream together the margarine, sugar and eggs. Stir in vanilla, flour, baking soda and salt.
• Roll out (not too thin) and cut into any shape. Bake at 375 degrees F (190 degrees C) for 8 minutes.
• I have used confectioner sugar frosting, or buttercream frosting, or even canned frosting ( if I'm desperate). Enjoy!

SPICED MEXICAN CHOCOLATE COOKIES

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350°F. In small bowl, mix flour, cocoa, cinnamon, baking powder, salt and red pepper; set aside.
• In 2-quart saucepan, heat butter and chocolate chips over low heat, stirring occasionally, until melted. Remove from heat; stir in granulated sugar. Pour into large bowl. Beat in eggs with spoon one at a time until blended. Beat in vanilla. Stir in flour mixture until well blended. Cover and refrigerate 30 minutes.
• Shape dough into 36 (1 1/4 -inch) balls. Lightly butter hands if dough is sticky when shaping into balls. Place 2 inches apart on ungreased cookie sheets; flatten slightly. Sprinkle about 1/4 teaspoon of Demerara sugar over top of each cookie.
• Bake 8 to 10 minutes or until edges are set. Cool 2 minutes; remove from cookie sheets to cooling rack. Cool completely, at least 20 minutes. Store covered in airtight container.

VANILLA SPICE SLICE AND BAKE COOKIES

Steps:

• Beat butter at medium speed with an electric mixer, gradually adding sugar and beating well. Add egg and vanilla and beat well. Combine flour, soda, salt and spices; add to butter mixture, beating well. Stir in pecans.
• Shape dough into two 12-inch rolls. Wrap in wax paper and chill at least two hours.
• Unwrap rolls and cut into 1/4-inch slices and place on ungreased (or Silpat-lined) baking sheets.
• Bake at 350°F for 10 to 12 minutes. Cool slightly on baking sheets, then remove to wire racks to cool completely.
• Note: Dough can be frozen for several months. Slice dough while frozen and bake as directed.

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.

SPICE CUTOUT COOKIES

Steps:

• In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the baby food, molasses, egg and milk; mix well. Combine the flour, ginger, cinnamon, aniseed, baking soda, cloves and fennel seed; gradually add to creamed mixture. Cover and refrigerate for 2 hours or until easy to handle., On a lightly floured surface, roll out dough to 3/16-in. thickness. Cut with a floured 2-in. cookie cutter. Place 1 in. apart on baking sheets coated with cooking spray. Bake at 375° for 8-10 minutes or until edges are firm. Remove to wire racks to cool., For frosting, in a large bowl, cream butter and confectioners' sugar. Beat in vanilla and enough milk to achieve spreading consistency. Add food coloring if desired. Decorate cookies as desired.

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.