Spiced Butter Cookies

What you will need

2 1/2 sticks of butter, softened

1 cup of granulated sugar

1 large egg

seeds from 1 vanilla bean (or 1 tablespoon of vanilla extract)

2 1/2 cups of all purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon of baking powder

1/2 teaspoon of salt

1 1/2 teaspoons of pumpkin pie spice 

I took an old sugar cookie recipe and played around with the ingredients for this cookie.  The old recipe never really reminded me of a sugar cookie anyways.

Start off with a ton of softened butter.  Cream the butter with the sugar on low speed.  Scrape down the bowl if you need to.   Next, comes my favorite part....opening up a vanilla bean.

Of course, you can always use vanilla extract if you can't find vanilla beans.  Add your egg and vanilla to the butter and sugar.  Mix just until everything is incorporated.

Combine all your dry ingredients together and add them all at once to your mixer.  Now if you have a stand mixer, throw a hand towel over the bowl.  Flour will start flying.  If you have a hand mixer, might I suggest a gas mask then.

Once the dough starts to clump up, you are done mixing.  Dump the dough out onto some parchment paper.

Place another piece of parchment on top and press it down.  Using a rolling pin, flatten the dough out until you reach the thickness you want.  

Refrigerate the dough for at least an hour.  When ready, preheat your oven to 350 degrees.  Pull the dough out and use whatever kind of cookie cutter you want.  

Place the cookies on a cookie sheet and bake for 10 to 14 minutes.  It really depends on the thickness of the cookies.  But once the edges start turning golden brown, you are ready to pull them out.  Let them cool on a rack for a few minutes before stacking them up and storing them.

As for the scraps of dough leftover, roll it out again and start making more cookies.  Just keep it in the fridge until you are ready to roll it out and cut it.  This recipe yields almost 3 dozen 2 inch cookies.  

And if I don't get to posting again this week, have a Happy Thanksgiving everyone!!

Spiced Butter Cookies - Print Recipe