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.

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.

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.

Polvorones

1 cup butter, softened
½ cup powdered sugar
2 T milk
1 t vanilla
1 t ground cinnamon, divided
1½ to 1¾ cups all purpose flour
1 t baking powder
1 cup granulated sugar
1 square (1 ounce) semisweet chocolate, finely grated

Preheat oven to 325°F. Grease cookie sheets; set aside.

Beat butter, powdered sugar, milk, vanilla and ½ t cinnamon in large bowl with electric mixer at medium speed until light and fluffy, scraping down side of bowl once. Gradually add 1½ cups flour and baking powder. Beat at low speed until well blended, scraping down side of bowl once. Stir in additional flour with spoon if dough is too soft to shape.

Roll tablespoonfuls of dough into 1¼" balls. Place balls 3" apart on prepared cookie sheets. Flatten each ball into 2" round with bottom of glass dipped in granulated sugar.

Bake 20 to 25 minutes or until edges are golden brown. Let stand on cookie sheets 3 to 4 minutes.

Meanwhile, combine granulated sugar, grated chocolate and remaining ½ t cinnamon in small bowl; stir to combine. Transfer cookies, one at a time, with spatula to sugar mixture; coat on both sides. Remove with spatula to wire racks; cool completely.

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

Makes about 2 dozen cookies 

~*~Dairy ALLERGY WARNING~*~ this recipe contains milk. 

Lebkuchen

2¾ cups all purpose flour

2 t ground cinnamon

1 t baking powder

½ t baking soda

½ t salt

½ t ground cardamom

½ t ground ginger

½ cup honey

½ cup dark molasses

¾ cup packed brown sugar

3 T butter, melted

1 large egg

½ cup chopped toasted almonds (optional)

Glaze  (recipe follows)

Preheat oven to 350°F Grease 15x10" jelly roll pan; set aside.

Place flour, cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cardamom, and ginger in medium bowl; stir to combine.

Combine honey and molasses in medium saucepan; bring to a boil over medium heat. Remove from heat; cool 10 minutes.

Stir in brown sugar, butter, and egg.

Place brown sugar mixture in large bowl. Gradually add flour mixture. Beat at low speed with electric mixer until dough forms, scraping down side of bowl once. Stir in almonds with spoon, if desired. (Dough will be slightly sticky.)

Spread dough evenly into prepared pan. Bake 20 to 22 minutes or until golden brown and set. Remove pan to wire rack; cool completely.

Prepare Glaze. Spread over cooled bar cookies. Let stand until set, about 30 minutes.

Cut into 2x1" bars.

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

Makes about 6 dozen bars.

Glaze

1¼ cups powdered sugar

3 T fresh lemon juice

1 t grated lemon peel

Place all ingredients in medium bowl; stir with spoon until smooth.

~*~Nut ALLERGY WARNING~*~ this recipe contains almonds.

Applesauce-Cinnamon Corn Muffins

1¼ c flour
¾ c cornmeal
1/3 c sugar
4 t baking powder
1 t cinnamon
½ t salt
1 c applesauce
1/3 c milk
¼ c vegetable oil
1 egg

In medium bowl, combine flour, corn meal, sugar, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt.
Combine applesauce, milk, oil and egg. Mix well. Add to dry ingredients. Mix just until moistened. Fill muffin cups 2/3 full. Bake 15-20 minutes at 425°F