Nut and Spice Cookie Recipes - Pepper Stars

 

Ingredients 

• 6 tbsp butter, cut p

• 2 tbsp dark molasses/treacle

• 3 black peppercorns, crushed

• Seeds of 10 cardamom pods, crushed

• 1 1/2 cups/225 g all-purpose/plain flour

• 1/2 tsp baking soda

• 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

• 1/2 tsp ground ginger

• 1/2 tsp salt

• 1/4 cup/50 g granulated sugar

• 1 large egg, lightly beaten

• 1 cup/150 g confectioners'/icing sugar

• 2 tbsp warm water

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Method:

1. Melt the butter with the molasses in a small saucepan. Remove from the heat and set aside to cool.

2. Mix the peppercorns and cardamom in a small bowl. Sift the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, and salt into a large bowl.

3. Stir in the peppercorns and cardamom. Use a wooden spoon to stir in the sugar, molasses mixture, and egg. Turn out onto a lightly floured surface and knead lightly until smooth.

4. Shape into a disk, wrap in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for 30 minutes. Preheat the oven to 325°F/170°C/gas 3. Line two cookie sheets with parchment paper.

5. Roll out the dough on a lightly floured surface to a thickness of 1/4 inch (5 mm). Use a star-shaped cutter to stamp into shapes.

6. Gather the dough scraps, re-roll, and continue cutting out cookies until all the dough is used.

7. Use a metal spatula to transfer to the prepared cookie sheets, spacing 1 inch (2.5 cm) apart.

8. Bake for 10-15 minutes, or until firm to the touch. Cool the cookies completely on the cookie sheets. Transfer to a rack.

9.  Mix the confectioners' sugar an water in a small bowl. Drizzle over the cookies.