Gewurz Knusperchen Spice Christmas Cookies Food

GEWURZ-KNUSPERCHEN - SPICE CHRISTMAS COOKIES

Steps:

• 1. Cream butter and sugar together until well blended. Add egg and vanilla.
• 2. In a separate bowl combine all dry ingredients and mix well.
• 3. Gradually add dry mixture to the butter mixture.
• 4. Roll out dough on a floured board to 1/8" thickness. Cut with your favorite shaped cookie cutters and place on ungreased cookie sheets.
• 5. Bake at 350 just until edges start to turn a slight brown.
• 6. Cool and decorate as desired.
• 7. Note: These cookies are best when rolled very thin.
• 8. Photo is from Google images.
• 9. She says the authentic German way to make these is to NOT use a mixer. She measures ALL ingredients onto countertop, cuts in butter and "kneads" by hand until it is all combined.

SPICE ROLL-OUT COOKIES

Steps:

• Sift flour, ginger, cinnamon, baking soda, salt, allspice, nutmeg, mustard, and cloves into large bowl. Using electric mixer, beat butter in another large bowl at medium speed until smooth and creamy, about 2 minutes. Add brown sugar; beat 1 minute. Add molasses; beat until fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add egg; beat until well blended, about 1 minute. Reduce speed to low; beat in vanilla. Add flour mixture; beat on low speed just to blend. Gather dough into ball; divide in half. Form each half into ball; flatten into disk. Wrap disks separately in plastic; chill until firm, at least 4 hours. DO AHEAD: Can be made 2 days ahead. Keep chilled.
• Position rack in center of oven; preheat to 350°F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. Working with 1 disk at a time, roll out dough between 2 sheets of waxed paper to 1/8-inch thickness for smaller (2-inch) cookies and 1/4-inch thickness for larger (3- to 4-inch) cookies. Using decorative cookie cutters, cut out cookies and transfer to prepared sheets, spacing 1 inch apart. If cookies become too soft to transfer to baking sheets, place in freezer on waxed paper for 5 minutes before continuing. Gather scraps, roll out dough, and cut more cookies, repeating until all dough is used. If not icing cookies, decorate with sprinkles or other sugar toppings, if desired. Bake 1 sheet at a time until cookies are firm on top and slightly darker around edges, about 8 minutes for smaller cookies and up to 12 minutes for larger cookies. Cool completely on rack. Line baking sheets with fresh parchment as needed. Decorate cookies with Royal Icing, then sprinkles or other sugar toppings, if desired. Let stand until icing sets. DO AHEAD: Cookies can be made 4 days ahead. Store between sheets of waxed paper in airtight containers at room temperature.