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~ Cleo Coyle, author of
The Coffeehouse Mysteries
To download this recipe right now in a free PDF, click here.
Or read my entire blog post by scrolling down or clicking here...
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Cleo Coyle writes two bestselling mystery series with her husband. To learn more, click here. |
Readers of our Coffeehouse Mysteries may remember these cookies from a scene in our 12th Coffeehouse Mystery Holiday Buzz, where our amateur sleuth caters a series of glittering holiday parties--and tracks down clues to a murder that occurred after one of them. For this recipe, I tried to image how Clare Cosi might have adapted this traditional recipe.
First, I assumed that she would make her biscochitos using a combination of butter and vegetable shortening instead of the traditional lard. Then I assumed she'd use Italian Marsala for the sweet wine; and finally, Clare would have replaced the anise seeds, which can be bitter, with anise extract, something her nonna would have used in Italian cookies like pizzelle and biscotti.
For the shape, I’m sure Clare would have chosen a cookie cutter that reminded her of a golden Southwestern sun. And that's how I arrived at the recipe you see in this post. May you bake with love and eat with joy! ~ Cleo
☕
To download this recipe in a PDF
document that you can print,
save, or share, click here.
document that you can print,
save, or share, click here.
Biscochitos
Makes about 6 dozen cookies of 2-inches in diameter, rolled slightly under ¼-inch in thickness (these cookies are sometimes rolled thicker; just note that they will make less)
Ingredients:
For dough:
½ cup vegetable shortening
½ cup butter
¾ cup sugar
Pinch of salt
1 egg, lightly beaten with fork
3 cups flour
½ teaspoon anise extract (increase to ¾ teaspoon for stronger anise flavor)
¼ teaspoon of vanilla extract
¼ cup Marsala (or brandy or port or wine)*
For cinnamon-sugar finish:
¼ cup sugar + 1 teaspoon cinnamon
*NOTE: If you do not wish to use alcohol, substitute milk or water.
Step 1 – Make the dough: Cream the shortening, butter, sugar, and pinch of salt until fluffy. Blend in the egg, vanilla, anise and vanilla extracts. Mix in the flour (dough will be very dry and crumbly). Add the ¼ cup Marsala (brandy, port, or wine) and mix only until the dough comes together.
WARNING: Adding too much liquid at this point will toughen your cookies. If your climate is very dry and the dough is truly too dry and crumbly and needs more liquid, then add Marsala (brandy, port, or wine) in very small increments—no more than one teaspoon at a time—until the dough comes together.
Step 2 – Chill: Wrap dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least thirty minutes, or up to six hours (but no more for best results).
For dough:
½ cup vegetable shortening
½ cup butter
¾ cup sugar
Pinch of salt
1 egg, lightly beaten with fork
3 cups flour
½ teaspoon anise extract (increase to ¾ teaspoon for stronger anise flavor)
¼ teaspoon of vanilla extract
¼ cup Marsala (or brandy or port or wine)*
For cinnamon-sugar finish:
¼ cup sugar + 1 teaspoon cinnamon
*NOTE: If you do not wish to use alcohol, substitute milk or water.
Step 1 – Make the dough: Cream the shortening, butter, sugar, and pinch of salt until fluffy. Blend in the egg, vanilla, anise and vanilla extracts. Mix in the flour (dough will be very dry and crumbly). Add the ¼ cup Marsala (brandy, port, or wine) and mix only until the dough comes together.
WARNING: Adding too much liquid at this point will toughen your cookies. If your climate is very dry and the dough is truly too dry and crumbly and needs more liquid, then add Marsala (brandy, port, or wine) in very small increments—no more than one teaspoon at a time—until the dough comes together.
Step 2 – Chill: Wrap dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least thirty minutes, or up to six hours (but no more for best results).
Step 3 – Roll, Cut, Sprinkle, and Bake: Preheat your oven to 350° Fahrenheit. If the dough is
chilled to the point of hardness, allow it to warm. Roll the dough out (for best results, see my tips below) and cut into shapes with cookie cutters. Mix the cinnamon sugar
in a bowl and generously sprinkle the cookie tops. Bake for about 10 to 13
minutes. These cookies freeze beautifully. See my notes about storage below...
* * * *
CLEO COYLE’S TIPS ON ROLLING DOUGH: For best results, do not
use flour. Simply roll out the dough between two pieces of parchment paper. This is a much better method of working with
dough (and preventing sticking) than using flour. Adding flour toughens cookie dough
while this method keeps it tender.
* * * *
Once the dough is rolled out, slide it (parchment paper and all) onto
the baking sheet and slip the pan into the refrigerator until cold. This will
make the dough easier to cut. Remove top layer of parchment paper, stamp out cookies...
* * * *
* * * *
Remove excess dough between the cutouts. (I use a knife tip for this.) Add scraps to remaining dough to be rolled again. Sprinkle unbaked cookies with cinnamon sugar, place pan into oven, and follow baking directions in Step 3.
* * * *
Final note: These cookies freeze very well. Stack
them into a wax paper-lined plastic container first. No defrosting needed, especially
if you're dunking them into a cup of tea or (even better)…coffee.
Click for Cleo's free recipe PDF.
May your holidays be bright!
May your holidays be bright!
Our NEWCoffeehouse MysteryNow on Sale!
Cleo Coyle’s Honey Roasted
is not only a coffee lover's mystery.
It's a culinary mystery with a tempting
menu of delicious recipes!
Click here or on the image (above)
for Cleo Coyle's Free Recipe Guide
to HONEY ROASTED
🔎
Don't miss Cleo's
Haunted Bookshop
Mysteries...
"A BEST READ OF 2022"
~ Lori Caswell, Escape with
Dollycas into a Good Book
"A GEM OF A STORY"
~ Kirkus Reviews
☕
"Terrific Series"
--Criminal Element
Our NEW
Coffeehouse Mystery
Now on Sale!
Cleo Coyle’s Honey Roasted
is not only a coffee lover's mystery.
It's a culinary mystery with a tempting
menu of delicious recipes!
Click here or on the image (above)
for Cleo Coyle's Free Recipe Guide
to HONEY ROASTED
🔎
Don't miss Cleo's
Haunted Bookshop
Mysteries...
"A BEST READ OF 2022"
~ Lori Caswell, Escape withDollycas into a Good Book
"A GEM OF A STORY"
~ Kirkus Reviews
☕
"Terrific Series"
--Criminal Element
