Decorator's Dream Light Spice Cookies -

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Decorator's Dream Light Spice Cookies

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By King Arthur Flour Company

Posted July 23rd, 2007

This article is reprinted with permission from The King Arthur Flour Cookie Companion: The Essential Cookie Cookbook, by King Arthur Flour, (2004, Countryman Press)

The King Arthur Flour Cookie Companion: The Essential Cookie Cookbook

Servings:	48
Author Notes:	Halfway between sugar cookies and gingerbread, these golden cookies are perfect for decorating.
Ingredients:	1/2 cup (1 stick, 4 ounces) butter 1/2 cup (3 1/4 ounces) vegetable shortening 3/4 cup (6 ounces) light brown sugar, packed 1/2 cup (3 1/2 ounces) granulated sugar 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder 1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon 1 1/2 teaspoons ginger 1/2 teaspoon allspice or cloves 3/4 teaspoon salt 1 large egg 2 tablespoons (1 1/2 ounces) molasses 3 cups (12 3/4 ounces) unbleached all-purpose flour 3 tablespoons (3/4 ounce) cornstarch
Instructions:	Yield: 3 to 4 dozen 2 1/2- to 3-inch cookies Baking temperature: 350°F Baking time: 10 to 12 minutes In a medium-sized bowl, beat together the butter, shortening, sugars, baking powder, spices, and salt until light and fluffy. Add the egg and molasses, and beat well. Mix about half of the flour into the butter mixture. When well combined, add the cornstarch and the remaining flour. Divide the dough in half, flattening each half slightly, and wrap well. Refrigerate for 1 hour (or longer), for easiest rolling. Preheat your oven to 350°F (375°F for Gingerbread Cookies -- see links below). Lightly grease (or line with parchment) several baking sheets. Take one piece of dough out of the refrigerator, and flour a clean work surface, and the dough. Roll it out as thin or thick as you like; for slightly less crisp cookies, roll it out more thickly. We roll Decorator's Dream Cookies 1/16- to 1/8-inch thick; Light Spice Cookies, 1/8- to 1/4-inch thick; and Gingerbread Cookies, (SEE RELATED LINKS BELOW FOR RECIPES) which we prefer a bit less crisp and more chewy, 1/4-inch thick. Use flour under and on top of the dough to keep it from sticking to the table or rolling pin. Alternatively, place the dough on parchment, and put a sheet of plastic wrap over it as you roll, pulling the plastic to eliminate wrinkles as necessary when rolling; this will keep dough from sticking without the need for additional flour. For soft dough, or dough to be rolled extra-thin, you may choose to roll right onto the ungreased back of a baking sheet. Cut out shapes with a cookie cutter, spacing them as close to one another as possible. After cutting cookies, carefully peel up the scrap dough between them. Set this dough aside in a bag in the refrigerator, to be rolled again later. Transfer cookies to greased cookie sheets (or, if you've rolled right onto the pan, remove the dough scraps between the cookies). Bake the cookies just until they're slightly brown around the edges, or until they feel firm, about 10 to 12 minutes. Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for several minutes, or until they're set. Transfer them to a rack to cool completely. Repeat with the remaining dough.