I’m sure you are all busy last minute shopping or trying to sort out Christmas dinner by now. So just a wee cookie recipe for you, which is good for this time of year or anytime really.
It’s a sugar cookie, which are more prevalent at the moment, but I have flavoured my mix with a little cinnamon and black pepper. This imparts a bit of extra sweetness and a bit of a spicy kick.
The batter is really simple and you can keep it in the fridge until ready to roll, cut out and bake. In fact, you could roll it into a log, wrap it up and freeze it. Then when guests arrive, cut them up and bake from frozen.
I iced mine with some royal icing I whipped up from a Martha Stewart recipe and feathered some in the colours of the season – red and green. They are just as lovely plain though, if you are running out of time or simply can’t be bothered!
Here’s how I made them…
Yield: 48 cookies approx
Ingredients:300 grams plain flour¾ teaspoon baking powder¼ teaspoon salt1 ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon1 teaspoon ground black pepper225 grams unsalted butter, very soft225 grams granulated sugar1 medium egg
Method:
In a bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon and pepper.
In another bowl beat the butter and sugar together until pale and creamy. Add the egg and beat this in. Add the flour and mix in until no dry ingredients can be seen.
Divide the dough into two and wrap each half in clingfilm. Chill in the fridge for at least two hours, longer if you have the time. Remove from the fridge and roll out onto a work surface dusted with icing sugar. Cut out into desired shapes and place on to a baking sheet lined with greaseproof paper.
Once the sheet is full, pop into the fridge and then preheat the oven to 180C. Once the oven is up to temperature, place the cookies into the oven and bake until lightly golden around the edges, 10 – 12 minutes.
Allow to cool fully if you are going to ice them. If not, they are lovely eaten warm.
Alternately, after making the dough, roll it into a log, wrap it in greaseproof paper and then clingfilm and freeze until ready to use. Cut them as required with a serrated knife, into discs about a centimeter thick and back in a 180C oven for 12-15 mins. They will need a bit longer as they are frozen.
If you make them, I hope you enjoy the spiciness of the pepper mixed with the cinnamon sweetness. This is my last post before Christmas, so I’d like to wish all of my readers a very Merry Christmas and I hope you have a fantastic time.
