Grammys Spice Cookies Nytimes 2012 December Recipes

Steps:

• Heat oven to 375 degrees. Line several baking sheets with parchment paper or nonstick liners.
• Using an electric mixer, beat 12 tablespoons butter with the granulated sugar, molasses and egg until fluffy, about 2 minutes. Slowly beat in flour, baking soda, spices and salt.
• Shape dough into walnut-size balls and place 2 inches apart on baking sheets. Bake until firm, about 10 to 12 minutes. Let cool on wire racks.
• To make the icing, beat remaining 4 tablespoons butter with the confectioners' sugar until smooth. (Go slowly so you don't create a sugar storm.) Beat in the vanilla and enough cream or milk, and whiskey (if using), to make a spreadable frosting. Slather on fully cooled cookies.

Steps:

• Cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in egg, corn syrup, orange zest and cold water. In another bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger and cloves; gradually beat into creamed mixture. Divide dough in half. Shape each into a disk; wrap in plastic. Refrigerate at least 1 hour or until firm enough to roll., Preheat oven to 375°. On a lightly floured surface, roll each portion of dough to 1/8-in. thickness. Cut into desired shapes with a cookie cutter. Place 1 in. apart on greased baking sheets. Decorate as desired. Bake until lightly browned, 6-8 minutes. Remove from pans to wire racks to cool.

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.