Owl About Some Spice Cookies...

 

Last year, when I was in Kentucky during Kelly's start of chemo treatment, we worked on a costume for Ari together.  Ari had announced he wanted to be an OWL and Kelly turned to me to create a handmade costume that we would craft together.  Needless to say, Ari was just tickled with the costume and proudly hit the neighborhood for Trick or Treat with his mama and daddy.

We dressed his daddy like a tree and here are Kelly's boys...Matt holding his little owlet!

I loved making homemade costumes for the girls.  Once, when I was short on time, I bought an orange leotard and tights for Erin, then made a felt leaf collar and stem top--we made her into a pumpkin.  However, when I picked her up at school, she had a frown.  I asked her what was wrong and she replied, "Everyone thought I was a carrot!"  I guess I should have padded my skinny little girl.:)

Now, my Mom only made one costume that I can remember, and it was passed down from one of my older brothers to my youngest sister. It was a clown costume with layers of ruffles at the neck, wrists and ankles.  When we outgrew the clown costume, we chose to be hobos and rummage through the old work clothes, smudged our faces with charcoal and tie a bandanna around our head.

Yesterday, when I was SKYPING with Ari, I promised him I would do some cookies to put in the box I was sending.  When I asked him what kind he wanted, he said, "Blueberry!"  Well, I'm still working on that recipe to surprise him, but I decided to created a spice cookie that I would roll out and cut with a new Owl copper cutter I have.  He still loves owls and I thought they would ship well and be perfect "dippers" which he so loves to do. 

The cookies are very aromatic and filled the kitchen with all those smells associated with the season.  I'm thinking these will also make great gingerbread men for Christmas.  It's a keeper and very easy to make.

Ari's Spice Cookies

14 T (1 3/4 sticks) unsalted butter at room temperature
1 cup + 2T light brown sugar, packed
1 large egg
2/3 cup unsulphured Molasses
1 T grated orange peel
1 T ground ginger
3/4 tsp. ground cinnamon
3/4 tsp. ground allspice
1/2 tsp. ground cardamon
4 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 tsp. baking soda

In a KitchenAid, using the paddle attachment, beat the butter and sugar until fluffy.  Add the egg and beat to combine.  Add the molasses and grated orange peel and beat well.

 In a large bowl, mix the flour, baking powder and all the spices.  Whisk to stir together, then, add slowly to the butter/sugar batter.  Mix to combine thoroughly.  Place dough in plastic wrap and chill for about an hour.  (It will make rolling the dough out easier.)

Preheat oven to 375F-degrees.  Prepare baking sheet(s) with parchment paper or a Silpat.  Roll dough out to approximately 3/8-inch for a crispy cookie, 1/4-inch for a softer cookie.  Place cut-out shapes on the baking sheet.  

I sprinkled the cookies with an Orange Fine Sanding Sugar.  Bake cookies 7-9 minutes.  (If you did the thicker cookies it may be 9-11 minutes, but watch for over browning your first batch.)
These cookies ship well and they last in a sealed container for 7-10 days...that is if your little ones don't find them.  Enjoy!