Jack-o'-Lantern Spice Cookies

msd104879_hal09_spookcook.jpg
Yield:
60 sandwiches

Grumpy jack-o'-lanterns know their time is limited -- they're easily devoured in just a few bites. Gooey dulce de leche peeks out of the eyes and mouths.

Ingredients

  • 2 ¾ 2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for work surface

  • ½ 1/2 teaspoon baking soda

  • ¾ 3/4 teaspoon salt

  • 2.0000 2 teaspoons ground ginger

  • 2.0000 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

  • ¾ 3/4 teaspoons ground cloves

  • ½ 1/2 teaspoon fresh grated nutmeg

  • ½ 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened

  • ½ 1/2 cup sugar

  • 1.0000 1 large egg

  • ¼ 1/4 cup unsulfured molasses

  • ½ 1/2 cup honey

  • 1 ½ 1 1/2 cups store-bought dulce de leche

Directions

  1. In large bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, salt, and spices.

  2. With an electric mixer on medium-high speed, beat butter and sugar until fluffy, about 4 minutes. Mix in egg, molasses, and honey. Reduce speed to low; add flour mixture, and mix until just combined. Divide dough in half; wrap in plastic. Chill 1 hour.

  3. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line baking sheets with parchment paper. On a generously floured piece of parchment, roll dough to 1/8-inch thickness. Brush off excess flour and freeze until firm, about 15 minutes. Cut into 2-inch rounds. Using an aspic cutter set, cut two triangles, point side up, in half the cookies to make eyes. Use the half-moon cutter to make mouths. Transfer to prepared baking sheets, and freeze until firm, 15 minutes. Bake, rotating sheets halfway through and tapping down to flatten any bubbles, until crisp but not darkened, 10 to 12 minutes. Transfer cookies to wire racks to cool completely.

  4. Top each whole cookie with 1 teaspoon dulce de leche and a cut-out cookie.

Cook's Notes

Aspic cutters, available at kitchen-supply stores, are used to carve the tiny facial features.

Related Articles