Spicy Snowflake Cookies

by Shirley O. Corriher
from BakeWise: The Hows and Whys of Successful Baking with Over 200 Magnificent Recipes
(Scribner, 2008)
Makes about 30 intricate cookies

Great Grandmother Schorr’s recipe is from Janice, my daughter-in-law, who is a wonderful cook. Her mother, Bonnie Wagner, has always made these cookies, so I consulted with Bonnie. I have been accustomed to eating these spicy cookies, both commercial and homemade, for years and love them with Bonnie’s exact spice ratios. This amount of spice gives you a slight after-sting like a mild chili pepper. These are classic Christmas cookies, and make perfect gifts. For decorating ideas,  Tish Boyle’s Snowflake Cookies.

What This Recipe Shows:
Letting the dough stand overnight allows the moisture to be evenly spread. In other words, there are not wet spots that will stick when rolling and there are not dry spots that will tear. This is vital for a dough that is rolled so thin.—Shirley O. Corriher

convert Ingredients
1/4 cup shortening
1/3 cup light brown sugar, packed
1/2 cup unsulfured molasses, such as Grandma’s
1 1/4 cups spooned and leveled all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cloves
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 1/2 teaspoons ground ginger
Nonstick cooking spray, optional

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Method
1. In a large mixing bowl, beat the shortening and sugar with a mixer until fluffy. Add the molasses and beat until well blended. In a large mixing bowl, stir together the flour, baking soda, cloves, cinnamon, and ginger. Add one-third of the dry mixture to molasses mixture and blend in on the lowest speed. Add another third and blend in, then add the final third and blend in. Cover the dough with plastic wrap and leave on the counter overnight.

2. Bonnie uses a large flour sack that is well floured as a surface to roll out the dough. I think a floured pastry cloth will work perfectly. Take a handful of dough and shape it into an 8-inch disc, about 1 inch high, as you might do in making a pie crust. Keep the rest of the dough tightly covered.

3. You want to use only the smallest amount of flour possible to keep the dough from sticking. This takes practice. Roll the dough. If the cookie dough is rolled fairly thin (but not less than 1/8-inch), it is ideal to use for intricate cut-out cookies. The dough does not spread much when rolled this thin and preserves the intricate pattern.

4. Using a snowflake cutter, cut the cookies.

5. Place a rack in the center of the oven and preheat the oven to 325°F (163°C).

6. Cover a baking sheet with Release foil (nonstick side up), or parchment sprayed with nonstick cooking spray.

7. Cut the cookies with a fluted 2 1/2-inch cookie cutter and place on the baking sheet about 1 inch apart.

8. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes, until edges just begin to color.

9. Remove the foil or parchment with the cookies to a rack. Allow the cookies to cool 2 minutes then remove to a rack to cool completely. Store in an airtight container.

Recipe © 2008 by Confident Cooking, Inc. All rights reserved.
© 2009 Leite’s Culinaria, Inc. All rights reserved. Terms of use.