Spiced Brown Sugar Cookies

Hi guys!

Christmas is arriving so incredibly fast and as I have been fortunate enough to get away from it all and go on a quick getaway to Berlin last week, my christmas baking has been nowhere so far. Well, time to change that. Because I started this blog earlier this year and have been investing time looking into lots of recipes I decided to change things a little and try a few new recipes to accompany my classics that I am going to introduce to you a little later this week. I really loved Donna Hay's winter issue a lot, so I decided to try new cookie recipes from it and here is the first one:

2 cups (320g) icing sugar

3 teaspoons ground cinnamon

2 ¼ cups (335g) plain flour

½ teaspoon ground ginger

½ teaspoon allspice

¼ teaspoon ground cloves

¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg

¼ teaspoon bicarbonate of soda

120g butter, softened

1 cup (175g) brown sugar

1/3 cup (115g) golden syrup

1 egg

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1) Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F). Place the icing sugar and 2 teaspoons cinnamon in a bowl and mix well to combine. Set aside.

2) Place the flour, ginger and remaining cinnamon, allspice, cloves, nutmeg and bicarbonate of soda in a bowl and mix to combine. 

3) Place the butter, brown sugar and golden syrup in an electric mixer and beat for 3 minutes or until pale and fluffy. Add the egg and vanilla and beat to combine. 

4) Add the spiced flour mixture and beat until just combines. Roll 1 tablespoonful of the dough into balls at a time and place on a baking tray lined with non-stick baking paper, leaving room to spread. Bake for 8-10 minutes or until golden and slightly cracked. 

5) Place on a wire rack to cool for 10 minutes. Place the biscuits in the icing sugar mixture and toss lightly to coat. Return tot he wire rack and allow to cool completely.   

Active preparation time: 20 minutes

Total preparation time: about 40 minutes

© Copyright: Donna Hay, donna hay magazine, issue 60

Here's how mine turned out:

These cookies remind me a lot of Snickerdoodles, but the dough is more intense with regard to the flavor because of the dark sugar and characteristic taste of golden syrup. I love the combination of the different spices and the cinnamon-spiked icing sugar on top of the cookies helps complete it.

Have fun trying!