Christmas spice cookies

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PRESENTATION

Preparing Christmas cookies at home is a magical moment... a tradition for many families, to be shared even with the little ones. Today we want to show you how to make Christmas spice cookies, a really tasty and aromatic version! The classic pastry is in fact enriched with vanilla, ginger, cinnamon, just like gingerbread. During cooking, these biscuits will release a unique scent that will invade your home. And if all this isn't enough, we show you how to decorate cookies with a white chocolate ganache, to make them even tastier... we're sure no one will be able to resist!

INGREDIENTS

For the spice shortcrust pastry (for about 30 cookies)
Flour 00 2 ¼ cups (250 g)
Butter ½ cup (125 g) - cold
Brown sugar ½ cup (100 g)
Eggs 1
Honey ¾ tbsp (15 g)
Fine salt ¼ tbsp (5 g)
Vanilla extract 1 ¼ tsp (3 g)
Powdered ginger 1 ¼ tsp (3 g)
Cinnamon powder 1 ¼ tsp (3 g)
Baking powder 1 tsp (2 g)
For the ganache
White chocolate 1 ¼ cup (200 g)
Heavy cream ½ cup (100 g) - cold
Vanilla extract 1 tbsp (8 g)
Powdered ginger to taste
For decorating
Chopped hazelnuts to taste
Colored sprinkles
Preparation

How to prepare Christmas spice cookies

To prepare the Christmas spice cookies, start with the shortcrust pastry: in a large bowl, pour the flour, the diced butter 1, the brown sugar 2 and the cinnamon 3.

Also add the ginger powder 4, the salt 5 and the baking powder 6.

Start kneading with your hands 7 until you get a "crumble" consistency 8. At this point add the honey 9.

Also add the egg 10 and the vanilla extract 11. Continue kneading 12.

You will have to obtain a smooth and homogeneous mixture 13. Transfer it on a surface and compact it to form a loaf 14,and place it on a sheet of parchment paper 15.

Cover with another sheet of parchment paper and immediately roll out the pastry to a thickness of about .20" (5 mm) 16. Transfer to the fridge and let it rest for at least 30 minutes. After that, make the cookies using a pastry ring with a diameter of 2.33" (6 cm) 17. Place them gradually on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, spacing them apart 18: with these doses you will get about 30 biscuits. Bake in a preheated static oven at 340°F (170°C) for about 15-20 mins.

Meanwhile prepare the ganache. Coarsely chop the white chocolate 19 and melt it in the microwave or in a bain-marie. Pour the vanilla extract 20, the ginger powder and the cold cream 21.

Mix well and transfer into a pastry bag without a nozzle 22. Place in the refrigerator to firm up. As soon as they are ready, take the cookies out of the oven and let them cool completely 23. Once cold you can decorate them with the ganache 24. If the ganache is too solid, keep it at room temperature for a few minutes.

Garnish with chopped hazelnuts 25 or colored sprinkles 26. Christmas spice cookies are ready to enjoy 27!

Storage

Store the Christmas spice cookies in the refrigerator for 1-2 days. Unglazed cookies, on the other hand, can be stored in a tin box for 4-5 days.

Tips

You can shape Christmas spice cookies into any shape you like, like stars or gingerbread men!

If you prepare the ganache well in advance by keeping it in the refrigerator, it will be more solid: just leave it at room temperature for 30-60 minutes before using it.