Sunday, October 30, 2011

Snowy Halloween


Snow in October? Yep, we officially had our first snowfall and we lost power. At this point, I'm pretty sure I jinxed myself during Irene. It's back now, and we didn't lose any food, so that's good. We sought refuge at my in-laws and my sister-in-law was kind enough to forward the pictures, for this weeks blog, from her phone. Thanks everyone!
I decided that since tomorrow is Halloween I would make something without chocolate. We'll all be on sugar highs from all the "leftover" Halloween candy, anyway. These cookies are a twist on the traditional sugar cookie. They could be frosted or left plain.

Spiced Brown Sugar Cookies
from annies-eats.com

3 cups all-purpose flour
2 tsp. baking powder
½ tsp. salt
½ tsp. ground cinnamon
¼ tsp. ground ginger
1/8 tsp. grated nutmeg
1/8 tsp. allspice
½ cup sugar
½ cup light brown sugar, packed
16 tbsp. (2 sticks) unsalted butter or margarine, at room temperature
1 large egg
1 tsp. vanilla extract




Combine the flour, baking powder, salt and spices in a medium bowl; whisk to blend.












 

In the bowl of an electric mixer, combine the sugar, brown sugar and butter. Beat on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, 2-3 minutes. Blend in the egg and vanilla.

With the mixer on low speed, mix in the dry ingredients just until incorporated. Form the dough into a ball or disk and wrap tightly in plastic wrap. Chill until firm, at least 30-60 minutes.















When ready to bake, preheat the oven to 350˚ F. Line baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats. On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough out to about ¼-inch thickness (add water if dough is crumbly). Use cookie cutters to form desired shapes and transfer to the prepared baking sheets.







Bake 10-12 minutes. Let cool on the baking sheet a few minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Decorate as desired.

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