Spice Cookie Dough Food

DUTCH SPICE COOKIES

Steps:

• Sift the flour, cinnamon, baking soda, nutmeg, anise, cloves, ginger, salt and pepper into a medium bowl, then whisk to combine.
• Beat the butter and brown sugar in a large bowl with a mixer on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, 3 to 5 minutes. Reduce the mixer speed to low; add half of the flour mixture and beat until combined, scraping down the bowl as needed. Add 3 tablespoons water and the remaining flour mixture and beat until just combined. Turn out onto a piece of plastic wrap, pat into a disk, wrap and refrigerate until firm, about 1 hour.
• Dust the dough with confectioners' sugar, then transfer to a piece of parchment paper and roll out until 1/4 inch thick. Cut into shapes using 2-to-3-inch cookie cutters. Transfer the cutouts to 2 ungreased baking sheets and press sliced almonds decoratively on top. Freeze until firm, about 1 hour.
• Position racks in the upper and lower thirds of the oven and preheat to 325 degrees F. Transfer the cookies to the oven and reduce the temperature to 275 degrees F; bake, switching the position of the pans halfway through, until crisp and golden, 45 to 50 minutes. Let cool 3 minutes on the baking sheets, then transfer to racks to cool completely.

MORAVIAN SPICE COOKIE WAFERS (UNITED STATES)

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.
• Whisk the flour, salt, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, cloves, pepper and mustard together in a medium bowl.
• Beat the butter and sugar together in a large bowl with an electric mixer on medium-high speed until just combined and lightly fluffy. Beat in the molasses and egg yolk. Gradually add the dry ingredients and mix together on low speed until dough is just combined and still crumbly, about 3 minutes. Give dough a few turns with a spatula to bring together.
• Lay out wax paper on a clean work surface and put about 1/3 of the batter on top. Lightly press down and top with another sheet of wax paper. Using your hands or a rolling pin, gently pat into a rectangle. Roll out with a rolling pin until dough is as thin as possible without breaking, no thicker than 1/16 inch thick. This is the key to these cookies: they really can't be too thin. Gently peel back the layer of waxed paper and then replace it loosely.
• Transfer rolled batter to a flat baking sheet and freeze until firm and can easily be peeled away from the waxed paper, about 30 minutes. Repeat with the remaining dough.
• Cut dough using a small (2- to 3-inch) fluted round cookie cutter and return to the freezer for 15 minutes to set. Transfer frozen cookies to a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and bake until crisp and lightly, evenly colored (but not brown), about 10 minutes.

A SPICE COOKIE TO SHARE

Steps:

• Whisk together the flours, coffee and spices; set aside.
• Working with a mixer fitted with a paddle attachment (or a hand mixer), mix the pieces of cold butter, both sugars and the salt on low speed for about 3 minutes, until the mixture forms clumps and then comes together. You'll see pieces of butter here and there - you're supposed to. Add the dry ingredients all at once, and then pulse the mixer on and off, just until the risk of flying flour has passed. Mix on low-medium speed until you've got a bowl of crumbs, about 3 minutes. Lightly whisk the egg and honey together. With the mixer on low, add the egg mixture gradually, and then continue to mix until the dough forms clumps. Squeeze a bit of the dough, and it will hold together. Reach into the bowl, and press the dough into a ball. Turn it out onto a sheet of parchment paper.
• Press the dough down, cover it with another sheet of paper and roll it out until it's about 1/8-inch thick. It can be any shape - round, oval, rectangular, raggedy-edged or pristine. It will probably be about 12-by-15 inches, but the thickness is more important than the dimensions. Being neat doesn't buy you anything with this cookie. Slide the sandwiched dough onto a baking sheet, and refrigerate it for at least 1 hour (or up to 3 days). If you prefer, you can wrap the dough well and freeze it for up to 2 months; keep it at room temperature for about 20 minutes before baking.
• When you're ready to bake, center a rack in the oven, and heat it to 350. Remove the top sheet of paper; leave the dough on the paper-lined baking sheet. If you're using the sanding sugar, sprinkle the dough with about 2 tablespoons' worth.
• Bake the cookie for 20 to 24 minutes - the edges will be darker than the middle. Press the center of the cookie, and it should be firm with just a tiny bit of give; it will feel firmer as you work your way out. Transfer the baking sheet to a rack, and allow the cookie to come to room temperature. If you're not eating it immediately, you can wrap the cookie well, and keep it at room temperature for about 4 days. Make sure the room is dry - humidity is a crisp cookie's nemesis.
• You can serve the cookie whole, letting everyone break off pieces (of course, there will be crumbs - they're part of the cookie's charm), or you can break or cut it in the kitchen and serve the pieces as you would any cookie. Chocolate or caramel sauce (or both) for dipping is optional, but scrumptious.

SPICE COOKIES

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Lightly grease 2 baking sheets.
• Combine sugar, butter, eggs, cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves in a bowl; beat with an electric mixer until creamy. Combine flour, currants, and baking soda in a separate bowl. Stir into the butter mixture alternately with tablespoons of milk until the flour is fully incorporated.
• Drop spoonfuls of batter onto the prepared baking sheets. Press down lightly with a fork. Dip fork in sugar or water if it sticks.
• Bake in the preheated oven until golden brown, 10 to 15 minutes. Let stand on the baking sheets for 1 minute before removing to a wire rack to cool completely.

SCREAMING SPICE COOKIES

Steps:

• For the cookies: Whisk the flour, baking soda, pumpkin pie spice, and salt together in a medium bowl.
• Beat the butter in a large bowl with a handheld mixer until fluffy. Scrape down the sides of the bowl, add the sugars, and continue beating until light, about 3 minutes. Add egg and vanilla extract, beating until smooth. Gradually add the dry ingredients while mixing slowly to make a smooth dough. Divide dough in half and press each half into a disk. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate until firm, at least 1 hour.
• Transfer 1 disk of dough to a floured work surface and roll about 1/4-inch thick. Cut into cookies with a pinched tuna can (see below). Transfer cookies with an offset spatula to a nonstick or silicon lined baking sheet.
• Cut out eyes and a mouth with a pastry tip, fat straw, or a knife. Press the lollipop sticks into the narrow end of each cookie, if using. Repeat with remaining dough. Press excess dough together, roll and cut into cookies. Refrigerate cookies for at least 30 minutes.
• Evenly space the racks in the oven and preheat to 350 degrees F. Put the candies in a small plastic bag and hit with a rolling pin to break into little pieces.
• Bake the cookies just until they are set, about 20 minutes. Remove baking sheets from the oven and carefully sprinkle the broken candies into the eyes and mouth of the cookies. Continue to cook until the candy liquefies, about 3 minutes more. Cool cookies on pan for 10 minutes before removing from the pan. Cool cookies on a rack.
• For the icing: Whisk the water, egg white powder and orange extract in a medium bowl until foamy but smooth. Gradually whisk in the confectioners' sugar to make a smooth icing. Spread a layer of icing over the entire surface of the cookies with the back of a teaspoon. Let rest until the icing sets, about 30 minutes. Serve or store in a covered container for up to 3 days.

SUGAR AND SPICE COOKIES

Steps:

• Mix the flour, the baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves together in a bowl.
• Cream the butter and brown sugar together with an electric mixer in a large bowl until smooth; beat the egg and vanilla extract into the butter mixture. Add the flour mixture in small amount to the butter mixture, beating each addition until blended. Form the dough into a ball, wrap with plastic wrap, and refrigerate at least 1 hour or up to 3 days.
• Preheat an oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease baking sheets.
• Roll the dough out on a floured work surface with a rolling pin to about 1/8-inch thickness. Cut with 2-inch cookie cutters. Arrange the cut cookies onto the prepared baking sheets.
• Bake in the preheated oven until the edges begin to brown, 10 to 12 minutes. Allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheet for 1 minute before removing to a wire rack to cool completely.

NORWEGIAN SPICE COOKIES

Steps:

• Combine flour, cinnamon, ginger, cloves, salt, nutmeg and cardamom in bowl.
• Beat butter and sugar in large bowl until creamy.
• Beat in eggs and vanilla until fluffy.
• Stir in flour mixture.
• Divide dough in half; flatten into disks.
• Wrap in plastic.
• Refrigerate for 1 hour.
• Heat oven to 350°.
• Coat 3 ½ - 4 ½-inch cookie-cutter molds with nonstick cooking spray.
• On lightly floured surface with floured rolling pin, roll out half of dough ¼-inch thick.
• Press cutter molds gently into dough.
• Gently pull cookies out of molds.
• Place on ungreased baking sheets.
• Brush with egg white.
• Reroll scraps.
• Repeat with remaining dough.
• Bake in 350° oven 10-12 minutes, until golden.
• Remove to racks to cool.
• Store at room temperature or freeze.

DUTCH SPICE COOKIES

Steps:

• Break cookie dough into large bowl; let stand 10-15 minutes to soften.
• Add brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger and cloves; mix well.
• Chill dough 1 hour in refrigerator or 20-25 minutes in freezer.
• Preheat oven to 350°F
• Spray cookie sheets with non-stick cooking spray.
• Place sugar in small dish.
• Roll the dough into 1 inch balls and roll in sugar.
• Place balls about two inches apart on cookie sheets.
• Flatten with bottom of glass.
• Bake 8-10 minutes or until light brown.
• Cool completely on wire racks.