Spiced Winter Butter Cookies

Hello Sweet Ladys and Gentlemen,

It is the end of november already, which means it is the beginning of the official Winter Cookie baking time! Well, I mean baking different kinds of cookies and biscuits is one of the best things at this time of the year isn't it? All these jummy, warming spices and crunchy roasted nuts, a little bit of sugar that caramelizes on top of a perfectly shaped buttery sweet cookie, browning in the glowing hot oven. A scented candle burning by your side a cozy fireplace in the corner and a steaming hot cup of freshly brewed tea in your hands, while you are waiting for the delicious treats to be ready to enjoy. In the background there is some silent music playing and the birds outside are nibbling on some nuts and seeds you've put out there for them. It is the perfect moment of joy.

This weekend I felt like having the first homemade winter cookies of the year. I love all the spices that you can use...either cinnamon, nutmeg, cardamom, ginger, anise or cloves. All of them, have such an own, special taste that makes every kind of winter baking so special. I bought a little gingerbread man cookie cutter a few weeks a go and he was waiting in the drawer to be used as soon as possible. So, when I was thinking about what to bake on the weekend...I came to the idea of making the first homemade cookies of the year. As november is almost over, it is officially cookie baking time right now. I love all the different kinds of cookies, but my favorite ones are the cinnamon and ginger flavored "Speculoos" from the Netherlands. The taste is just really, really good. It is not too spicy, but just enough to warm your mouth when eating them and they are always perfectly golden brown and taste a little bit like caramel cookies. After a little bit of research, I foud a special spice mix that has cinnamon, ginger,  nutmeg and orange peel in it. I combined it with roasted almonds, unsalted butter, brown sugar and a pinch of salt. Adding this to the flour and egg yolks, made the most perfect and delicious Speculoos Cookie I have ever expected.
On a dark and cold november afternoon, when it is freezing cold outside, there's no better thing than being cuddled in a large, comfy sweater with a cup of hot chocolate in your hands and some of the most decadent and crunchy winter cookies on the side. This brightens up any dark mind.


Ingredients:

400g all purpose flour
100g grated almonds (roasted)
4 eggyolks
200g brown sugar
250g unsalted butter
1 tbs maple sirup
3 tsp winter spice mix
pinch of salt

Preparation:

First of all, preheat your oven to 175 °C. Then, beat egg yolks, butter, sugar and maple syrup until it is all well combined.  Now, add the salt, spice mix and the flour and mix again until it is all incorporated. At last, add the roasted almonds and knead them in with your hands.
Then, roll the dough into a ball, cover it in plastic wrap and let it sit in the fridge for about one hour.
Half an hour before rolling the dough out, get it out of the fridge so it won't be too hard to work with it later. Now, roll it out with a rolling pin and press your different shaped cookie cutters in there. Place the cookies on a lined baking tray and bake them for about 15 minutes. And make sure they don't get too brown on the top because otherwise they would get too hard.
If you want, you can now decorate them with everything you want. Chocolate or icing, sprinkles or crushed nuts and raisins. There are no limits...




                                                                                                    - The Winter tale  -

Trees bared to winter's touch
By winter's breath laid bare
Leaves whisper of winter's heart
Of winter's heart they share

by Frederick Weyer