Sugar and Spice Cookies with Maple Glaze
adapted from my favorite cookies originally from Ashlee
Ingredients:
1 1/2 c. butter
1 1/2 c. granulated sugar
1/2 c. powdered sugar
4 eggs
1 1/2 tsp vanilla
1/2 tsp almond extract
1 tsp orange zest
5 c. flour
2 tsp baking powder
2 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp salt
½ tsp ground nutmeg
½ tsp ground ginger
¼ tsp ground cloves
¼ tsp allspice
Powdered sugar, for rolling
Directions:
-Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
-Cream butter and sugars in a mixer for 5 minutes.
-Add eggs one at a time, mixing thoroughly.
-Add vanilla, almond, and zest.
-Sift in flour, baking powder, spices and salt a little at a time.
-Do not over mix, this process should take about one minute.
-Chill dough for up to a week in the fridge, or roll out and cut right away.
-Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper and bake cookies for 7-8 minutes (4 minutes for mini ones).
-Wait until cookies are cooled before icing.
Maple Glaze
(makes nearly enough for drizzling on a full batch of the sugar and spice cookies)
½ c butter
2 c sifted powdered sugar
2 tsp maple flavoring
2-4 T hot water
Directions:
-heat butter until golden brown; stir in powdered sugar and maple flavor; stir in 2-4 T hot water until smooth and the consistency you want
-if icing seizes/separates, use hand mixer to beat in the water or try hotter water
-pipe or drizzle on the cookies; cool overnight in single layer, then stack
