Nissu Nassu

Cookies

2 cups all purpose flour 1½ t ground cinnamon 1½ t ground ginger ½ t ground cardamom ½ t ground cloves 2/3 cup packed light brown sugar ½ cup butter, softened 3 to 5 T hot water ½ t baking soda

Royal Icing

1 egg white at room temperature* 2 to 2½ cups sifted powdered sugar ½ t almond extract
Place flour, cinnamon, ginger, cardamom and cloves in medium bowl; stir to combine.
Beat brown sugar and butter in large bowl with electric mixer at medium speed until light and fluffy, scraping down side of bowl once. Place water and baking soda in cup; stir until baking soda dissolves. Beat into butter mixture. Gradually add flour mixture. Beat at low speed until dough forms, scraping down side of bowl once. (IF dough is too crumbly, add more water, 1 T at a time, until dough holds together)
Form dough into 2 discs; wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate until firm, 30 minutes or overnight.
Preheat oven to 375°F. Grease cookie sheets; set aside.
Working with 1 disc at a time unwrap dough and place on lightly floured surface. roll out dough with lightly floured rolling pin to 1/8" thickness.
Cut dough with floured 3" pig shaped cookie cutter. Place cutouts 1" apart on prepared cookie sheets.
Gently press dough trimmings together; reroll and cut out more cookies (Rerolled dough will produce slightly tougher cookies than first rolling)
Bake 8 to 10 minutes or until firm and lightly browned. Remove cookies iwth spatula to wire racks; cool completely.
Prepare Royal Icing. Spoon Icing into pastry bag fitted with writing tip. Decorate cooled cookies with icing. Let stand at room temperature 1 hour or until set.
Store tightly covered at room temperature or freeze up to 3 months.
Makes about 5 dozen cookies.
Royal Icing Beat egg white in small bowl with electric mixer at high speed until foamy. Gradually add 2 cups powdered sugar and almond extract. Beat at low speed until moistened. Increase mixer speed to high and beat until icing is stiff.

Pahkinaleivat

1 cup butter, softened
½ cup plus 1/3 cup sugar, divided
3 large eggs divided
½ t ground cardamom
½ t almond extract
2¼ to 2½ cups all purpose flour
1 cup finely chopped almonds

Beat butter and ½ cup sugar in large bowl with electric mixer at medium speed until light and fluffy, scraping down side of bowl once. Beat in 1 egg, cardamom and almond extract until well mixed, scraping down side of bowl once.

Gradually add 1½ cups flour. Beat at low speed until well blended, scraping down side of bowl occasionally. Stir in enough remaining flour with spoon to form soft dough. Form dough into a disc; wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate until firm, at least 30 minutes or overnight.

Grease cookie sheets; set aside. Cut dough into 8 equal pieces.

With floured hands, shape each piece of dough into 12" long ½" thick rope. Cut ropes into 2 inch logs. Place all logs on prepared cookie sheets; refrigerate 30 minutes. 

Preheat oven to 350°F Beat remaining 2 eggs in shallow dish with fork until foamy.

Place almonds and 1/3 cup sugar in medium bowl; stir to combine. Dip cookie logs into beaten egg mixture; roll in nut mixture to cover.

Place cookies 2" apart on prepared cookie sheets. Bake 15 minutes or until lightly browned. Remove cookies with spatula to wire racks; cool completely.

Store tightly covered at room temperature or freeze up to 3 months.

Makes about 4 dozen cookies. 

~*~NUT ALLERGY WARNING~*~ this recipe contains Almonds.

Orange Cookies (Orangesmekager)

2 Oranges
½ cup butter, softened
¼ cup sugar
1 large egg
½ t orange extract
1½ cups all-purpose flour
4 squares (1 oz each) semisweet chocolate

Finely grate colored portion of orange peel using bell grater or hand held grater. Measure 2 T orange peel; set aside.

Beat butter and sugar in large bowl with electric mixer at medium speed until light and fluffy, scraping down side of bowl once. Beat in egg, orange extract and grated peel until well blended, scraping down side of bowl once.

Gradually add flour. Beat at low speed until well blended, scraping down side of bowl occasionally. Stir in additional flour with spoon to form soft dough. Form dough into a disc; wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate until firm, at least 1 hour or overnight.


Preheat oven to 400°F Grease cookie sheets; set aside.


Unwrap dough and place on lightly floured surface. Roll out dough with lightly floured rolling pin to ¼" thickness. Cut dough into 2x1" bars. Place bars 2" apart on prepared cookie sheet. 


Gently press dough trimmings together; reroll and cut out more cookies. (Rerolled dough will produce slightly tougher cookies than first rolling.) 


Bake 10 minutes or until lightly browned. Remove cookies with spatula to wire rack; cool completely.


Melt chocolate in 1 cup glass measure in microwave at MEDIUM (50% power) 3 to 4 minutes stirring occasionally. Dip one end of each cookie into chocolate, coating ½ way up side. Scrape excess chocolate on bottom of cookie back into cup. Transfer cookies to waxed paper; let stand at room temperature 1 hour or until set.


Store tightly covered between sheets of waxed paper at room temperature.


Makes about 2½ dozen bars

Czech Bear Paws

4 cups toasted ground hazelnuts
2 cups all purpose flour
1 T unsweetened cocoa powder
1 t ground cinnamon
½ t ground nutmeg
¼ t salt
1 cup butter, softened
1 cup powdered sugar
1 large egg yolk
½ cup melted chocolate chips
slivered almonds, halved

Preheat oven to 350°F. Place hazelnuts, flour, cocoa, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt in medium bowl; stir to combine.

Beat butter, powdered sugar, and egg yolk in large bowl with electric mixer at medium speed until light and fluffy. Gradually add flour mixture. Beat at low speed until soft dough forms, scraping down side of bowl once.


Grease 3 madeleine pans with softened butter, 1 teaspoon per pan; dust with flour. (IF only one 1 madeleine pan is available, thoroughly wash, dry, regrease and flour after baking each batch. Cover remaining dough with plastic wrap; let stand at room temperature.)


Press level Tablespoonfuls of dough into each mold. 


Bake 12 minutes or until lightly browned. Let cookies stand in pan 3 minutes. Carefully loosen cookies from pan with point of small knife. Invert pan over wire racks; tap lightly to release cookies. Let stand 2 minutes. Turn cookies shell side up; cool completely.


Pipe squiggle of melted chocolate on curved end of each cookie; place slivered almond halves in melted chocolate for claws. Let stand at room temperature 1 hour or until set.


Store tightly covered at room temperature. These cookies Do NOT Freeze well.


Makes abut 5 dozen cookies.

Orange-Almond Sables

¾ cup whole blanched almonds
1½ cups powdered sugar
1 cup butter, softened
1 T finely grated orange peel
1 T almond flavored liqueur or 1 t almond extract
1¾ to 2 cups all purpose flour
¼ t salt
1 large egg, beaten

Preheat oven to 375°F To toast almonds, spread on baking sheet and cool; set aside.

Beat powdered sugar and butter in large bowl with electric mixer until light and fluffy, scraping down side of bowl once. Beat in orange peel and liqueur or almond extract.

Set aside 24 whole almonds. Place remaining cooled almonds in food processor. Process using on/off pulsing action until almonds are ground but not pasty.

Place chopped almonds, flour and salt in medium bowl; stir to combine. Gradually add to butter mixture. Beat with electric mixer at low speed until well blended, scraping down side of bowl once.

Place dough on lightly floured surface. Roll out dough with lightly floured rolling pin to just under ¼" thickness. Cut dough with floured 1½" fluted or round cookie cutter. Place dough 2 inches apart on ungreased cookie sheets.

Lightly brush tops of cookies with beaten egg. Press one whole reserved almond in center of each cookie.

Brush almond lightly with beaten egg. Bake 10 to 12 minutes or until light golden brown.

Let cookies stand 1 minute on cookie sheets. Remove cookies with spatula to wire racks; cool completely.

Store tightly covered at room temperature or freeze up to 3 months.

Makes about 2 dozen cookies. 

~*~NUT ALLERGY WARNING~*~ this recipe contains Almonds.

Back Bay Cookies

2/3 cup butter
1 cup sugar
2 eggs, well beaten
2/3 cup chopped raisins or currants
½ cup chopped walnuts
2 cups sifted flour
2/3 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon salt

Preheat oven to 350°. Cream butter and sugar together until light and fluffy. Add eggs and beat well. Add raisins and nuts. Sift remaining ingredients together and add to the first mixture. Mix thoroughly. Drop by teaspoonfuls, 1" apart, on greased cookie sheets. Bake about 12 minutes. cool on wire racks. 

Makes about 2½ dozen cookies. 

~*~NUT ALLERGY WARNING~*~ this recipe contains Walnuts.

Pinwheel Cookies

½ cup butter, softened

1 (3 oz) package cream cheese, sofened

1 cup granulated sugar

1 egg

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2¼ cups all-purpose flour, divided

½ teaspoon baking powder

½ teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon baking soda

½ cup cocoa

In a large bowl, cream butter, cream cheese, sugar, eggs and vanilla until light and fluffy. In a separate bowl, sift together 1½ cups flour, baking powder, salt, and baking soda; blend into creamed mixture.

Divide dough in half. Add cocoa to ½ of the dough; blend well. Add ¾ cup flour to remaining dough; blend well.

On a lightly floured board, roll out each half into a 9" square. (if dough is too soft, chill about 15 minutes) Place chocolate dough on top of vanilla. Roll up jelly-roll style. Wrap tightly in waxed paper; chill several hours or overnight.

Preheat oven to 350°. Slice dough ¼" thick. Place on an ungreased baking sheet. Bake 12 to 15 minutes or until lightly browned. Remove from cookie sheet; cool on wire rack.

 

Makes about 3 dozen.