These cookies are the taste of Christmas in a cookie. You can top them with pecans, decorate them with almond icing or both. The spice in this cookie is delicate, not overpowering and mildly reminiscent of gingerbread. Happy Holidays!!

Makes about 4 dozen cookies. Time: prep 30 minutes, chill 1-2 hours, bake 12-15 min.

Ingredients

• 4 cups flour
• 1 cup almond flour
• 1 cup sugar
• 1/3 cup brown sugar
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1.5 tsp cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp ground ginger
• 1/2 tsp nutmeg
• 1/4 tsp ground clove
• 1/4 tsp white pepper
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 3 eggs
• 12 tbsp butter, unsalted at room temp

Method

• Using a stand mixer, combine all dry ingredients well with paddle attachment. Switch to dough hook and add cubed butter, mix a bit then add eggs. Once ingredients all combined, place on board to knead with hands and shape into 3 discs. Chill for 1-2 hours.
• Line baking sheet with parchment paper and preheat oven to 350 degrees.
• Remove chilled dough from fridge. Lightly flour large cutting board or surface of choice and roll cookie dough out with rolling pin. Bring out the cookie cutters! The thinner you roll the cookie, the quicker they will bake and become more on the crunchy side. I think these cookies taste better crispier, however everyone has their own preference with cookies (soft vs crunchy). If you want to add the pecan mixture (see below), now is the time to do it. Simply spoon pecan mixture onto and spread evenly on each cookie prior to baking.
• Place cookies on cookie sheet and bake 12-15 minutes. Once lightly golden, remove and cool on wire rack. Yum!

Pecan Option

• 1/2 cup pecans
• 2 tbsp raw sugar

Pulse ingredients together in food processor.

Almond Icing Option

• 1 cup confectioner sugar
• 1/2 tsp cream of tartar
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 tsp almond extract
• 2-2.5 tbsp milk

Mix dry ingredients, then add extracts and milk. Cool cookies completely prior to decorating with almond icing. Spoon icing into piping bag and decorate cookies. You can also just spread the icing on with a butter knife if you don’t having a piping bag. The cream of tartar makes this icing harden so you can stack the cookies for storage or transport while keeping your decorations intact.