Black Pepper Cookies
became a Christmas tradition
beginning in 2001
when I made them for an open house.
~
They are delicious with coffee
as a dessert, as a snack, and even as a breakfast.
Christmas 2012 flew by, like the down of a thistle,
and I did not find the time to bake them,
until today ~ January 5.
The recipe is from a Christmas magazine.
A single male friend of my sister's liked them so well,
he asked for the recipe.
I sent him a batch of cookies, the recipe, and
a star-shaped cookie cutter.
Ingredients above ~~~
Directions ~~~
Preheat the oven to 400°. Sift together the flour and baking powder in a large mixing bowl. In another large bowl, cream softened butter, add the five spices. Mix well. Add sugar and egg. Beat well. Add the flour and baking powder mixture. Beat again. Knead lightly on a floured surface. Divide the dough into three parts. Do NOT chill the dough. Roll out one-third dough at a time to 1/4" height. Use a cookie cutter to cut out the cookies. Use a metal spatula to transfer the cookies to an ungreased baking pan. Re-use the dough scraps to make more cookies. Bake for 12 minutes. TIP ~ Watch the time while baking. Mine do not take 12 minutes...could be my oven's temperature...could be I roll them thinner than 1/4"...
The rolling pin was missing one of its handles
when I inherited it from my grandmother
forty years ago.
I use a Christmas tree shaped cookie cutter.
Remove baked cookies from the pan using a spatula. Cool cookies on a rack.
Store in a non-airtight container.
The cookies taste best crisp and crunchy.
These just may become a new
Christmas tradition at your house!
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