Spicedvanillacookies Recipes

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!

VANILICE / VANILLA COOKIES

Steps:

• In the bowl of a stand (or hand mixer), cream the butter and sugar until smooth. Scrap the bottom and sides of the bowl to ensure all the butter is incorporated.
• To the butter and sugar add the whole egg and egg yolks and whip until incorporated, then add in the lemon juice, lemon zest, salt, and vanilla sugar. Mix with the stand mixture until all ingredients are incorporated (1-2 minutes).
• Turn off the mixer and switch to a spatula at this point. Add in the walnuts and stir, turning the mixture into a thick batter. Once all the walnuts are incorporated, add in the flour and form a uniform and soft ball of dough with the help of your hands.
• Place the dough on a piece of plastic wrap or in a plastic bag and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, or until the dough is completely cold.
• When the dough has completely chilled, take it out of the refrigerator and preheat your oven to 350 F ( 200 C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
• Roll out the dough on a lightly floured surface to a thickness of about 1/4 inch (6 mm). Use a cookie cutter, shot glass, or small cup to cut out small round pieces. I use a shot glass (for rakija) because I prefer this size and get about 40 cookies.
• Using a small knife or angled spatula transfer the cut-out cookies to your baking sheet. Bake for 15-20 minutes until the bottom of the cookies begin to slightly brown but the tops remain light in color. Do not let them brown on top.
• When baked, remove the cookies from the baking sheet and transfer to a cooling rack or tray to cool.
• Re-knead the scraps of the remaining dough into a ball and roll it out again. Repeat the above steps until you've used up all your dough and baked all your cookies.
• When the cookies have cooled, spread a very small amount of apricot jam (or preserves but remove large fruit pieces) on one piece and place a 2nd piece on top, making a sandwich cookie. Roll the cookie in powdered sugar and place on serving tray.

VIENNESE VANILLA COOKIES

Steps:

• Cream butter and add sugar. Add 1/2 cup of flour mixing after each addition. Add remaining ingredients. Shape into a disk and then chill for 30 minutes. You can also put the dough in the freezer at this point.
• Begin to roll the dough the dough so that it is about 1/4-inch thick or a little more. Cut with cookie cutters. Place dough on parchment paper or a greased cookie sheet. I prefer using parchment paper. It's just easier.
• Preheat oven to 350 degree F. Bake for 12 to 13 minutes or until the edges are a bit brown. You may need to lower your oven to 325 degrees F.
• You can also freeze or chill the dough in a log shape rather than a disk. If you do this, simply cut small rounds about 1/4 inch thick and place these rounds on the lined cookie sheet. These bake for 15 minutes. (This works well, if you want to transport dough to a friend's house and have kids form the cookies.)
• Once the cookies come out of the oven, either cool them on the cookie sheet or move the parchment paper to a cookie rack. As the cookies cool, but before they're fully cooled, sprinkle with confectioner's sugar.
• Arrange on a plate and don't blink because they'll disappear before you open your eyes. Eat.
• That's the classic Brown family cookie. Without it Christmas simply isn't Christmas. Sometimes I bring a batch from my Chicago home and that simply doesn't work. My sister and mother are upset that the house doesn't smell like Christmas...no cookie smell in the air. I'm often required to make many batches...and the cookies are eaten at all times
• and for all meals.
• These were the cookies we left for Santa...He regularly gobbled them up, leaving only a few crumbs on the plate and a note that said, "These are excellent cookies, the best I've had." In retrospect, the writing looked an awful lot like my father's... If they're good enough for Santa, I think they're good enough for anyone.

SPICED BUTTER COOKIES

Steps:

• In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in vanilla. Combine the flour, cornstarch, baking powder, salt, cardamom, cinnamon, pepper and cloves; gradually add to the creamed mixture alternately with cream. Stir in almonds. Wrap in plastic; refrigerate for 1 hour or until easy to handle., Shape into 3/4-in. balls; place 2 in. apart on ungreased baking sheets. Bake at 350° for 8-10 minutes or until edges begin to brown. Cool for 3 minutes before removing from pans to wire racks. Store in an airtight container.

EASY SPICED COOKIES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°.
• Stir (by hand) the first 6 ingredients in a large bowl until dough forms.
• Shape dough into 1" balls.
• Roll balls in cinnamon and sugar and place 2 inches apart on ungreased cookie sheets.
• Bake for 8-10 minutes or until center is JUST SET.
• Remove from pans after a minute or so and cool on wire racks.

REALLY NICE SPICE COOKIES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease cookie sheets.
• In a large bowl, cream together the butter, light brown sugar and dark brown sugar until smooth. Beat in the egg until well blended. Combine the flour, cinnamon, nutmeg and ginger; stir into the creamed mixture to form a stiff dough. Knead lightly in the bowl for a few turns. Shape dough into 25 small balls. Place balls 2 inches apart onto the prepared cookie sheets and flatten slightly.
• Bake for 8 to 10 minutes in the preheated oven, or until golden.

SPARKLING VANILLA SANDWICH COOKIE

Steps:

• In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, mix together butter and sugar on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add eggs and salt; mix to combine. Add evaporated milk, vanilla extract, and vanilla bean seeds, if using; mix to combine.
• Reduce speed to low; slowly add flour. Mix until just combined; do not overmix. Divide dough into 4 equal pieces and shape each piece into a disk. Cover tightly with plastic wrap. Transfer to refrigerator and chill until firm, at least 1 hour.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line two baking sheets with nonstick baking mats or parchment paper.
• Working with one disk at a time, form dough into 1-teaspoon-sized balls. Roll each ball in sanding sugar and place on prepared baking sheet, about 2 inches apart. Lightly dip the bottom of a drinking glass in flour and gently press down on ball to flatten slightly. Transfer baking sheets to oven and bake until puffy, but still soft, 8 to 10 minutes. Let cool slightly on baking sheets before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
• Using a small offset spatula, carefully spread about 1 teaspoon filling on the flat side of one cookie; top with another cookie to make a sandwich. Repeat process with remaining filling and cookies.