Chai-Spiced Snowdrops

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This article was published 19/12/2016 (3528 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

This take on the Russian tea cookie or Mexican wedding cookie blends almond flour instead of chopped nuts into the crumb, and chai spices into the final confectioners’ sugar coating.

You may find slightly different totals (in grams) for a few of the ingredients in various online sources; we tested using the amounts listed below.

Make ahead: The dough needs to be refrigerated for 20 minutes before shaping and baking. The cookies can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 week.

Adapted from The Gourmet Kitchen: Recipes From the Creator of Savory Simple, by Jennifer Farley (Gallery Books, 2016).

Chai-Spiced Snowdrops

• 28 to 30 cookies

Ingredients

For the cookies:
180 g (375 ml or 1 ½ cups) all-purpose flour
2.5 ml (½ tsp) kosher salt
240 ml (16 tbsp or 2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
60 g (125 ml or ½ cup) confectioners’ sugar
5 ml (1 tsp) vanilla extract
120 g (310 ml or 1 ¼ cups) almond flour (may substitute almond meal)

For the coating:
375 ml (1 ½ cups) confectioners’ sugar
10 ml (2 tsp) ground cinnamon
4 ml (3/4 tsp) ground ginger
7.5 ml (1 ½ tsp) ground cardamom
7.5 ml (1 ½ tsp) ground allspice

For the cookies: Whisk together the all-purpose flour and salt in a medium bowl. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone liner.

Combine the butter, the 125 ml (½ cup) of confectioners’ sugar and the vanilla extract in the bowl of a stand mixer or handheld electric mixer; beat on low speed to blend, then on medium-high speed for about five minutes, until light and fluffy. Stop once or twice to scrape down the bowl.

Add the all-purpose flour mixture and the almond flour; beat on low speed to form a soft dough. Stop to scrape down the bowl.

Use a tablespoon scoop to measure 28 to 30 portions, rolling each one into a ball; place on the lined baking sheet and refrigerate for 20 minutes.

Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 160 C (325 F).

Transfer a dozen of the chilled balls to a platter and return them to the refrigerator.

Arrange the remaining balls on the lined baking sheet, spacing them well apart.

Bake (middle rack) for about 20 minutes, until firm and slightly browned on the bottom, then transfer the baking sheet to a wire rack to cool for five minutes.

While the first batch is in the oven, make the coating: Whisk together the confectioners’ sugar, cinnamon, ginger, cardamom and allspice in a medium bowl.

Roll each still-warm cookie in the coating and place directly on a wire rack to cool.

Repeat the process with the remaining dough and some of the chai mixture.

Once all the cookies are coated and cooled, re-coat them as needed in the remaining chai mixture.

— Washington Post