Spicy Stamped Cookies

Cookie stamps are all the rage right now, but you don't need to spend any money! look through your kitchen drawers and you'll find creative ways to add texture to these cookies. and maybe in the process you can get a head start on spring cleaning...? um, ok maybe not. bake these cookies instead—WAAAY more fun.

​Everyday kitchen tools make awesome cookie stamps. (see photo at bottom) BTW if you want any of the cookies stamps pictured at the bottom of this post, they're in my amazon shop. 

​I updated the recipe with a vegan option. you'll see it mentioned in the ingredients below. check the label of your plant based butter--if it has salt (almost all do), then adjust the salt amount accordingly, or skip entirely.

​​Spices courtesy of Burlap & Barrel.

​

Recipe:

Yield: About 3 dozen 2.5" cookies

cookie ingredients:
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
1/2 cup granulated sugar
3/4 cup light brown sugar, packed
3/4 tsp baking powder
3/4 tsp salt (vegan: reduce/skip the salt if your butter contains salt)
3 tbsp pumpkin spice mix (recipe below)
1 egg (vegan: 1 flax egg)
2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
 ​
​spice mix ingredients:
3 tbsp cinnamon
2 tbsp ginger
​1 ½ tsp nutmeg
​1 ½ tsp cloves
3/4 tsp allspice
3/8 tsp cardamom

glaze ingredients:
2 cups confectioners' sugar 
warm water
pinch salt

you will also need:
stamping tool
​Parchment paper or silicone baking mat
wax paper
​food safe paintbrush

method:

1. Preheat oven to 350°. Line baking sheets with parchment paper or baking mat.
2. Using a stand mixer with paddle attachment, cream butter and sugars on medium speed until well blended. Add baking powder, salt, spice. mix for one minute. Add egg. mix until well-combined.
3. Stir in flour just until incorporated and smooth, scraping down sides of the bowl as needed. Do not over mix. Dough should be firm and hold together well, but should no longer be sticky. It should easily fall away from sides of bowl and paddle. You may need to adjust flour quantity.
4. Divide dough in thirds and place each third on a sheet of wax paper. form into a flat disc. Cover disc with another sheet of wax paper, sandwiching the dough between the two sheets.
5. Roll out to 1/4" thickness, smoothing any creases that develop in wax paper.
6. Peel away & replace one sheet of wax paper (this will prevent dough from sticking when cutting cookies, and keep work surface clean). flip "sandwich" over & remove top sheet of wax paper, leaving other sheet underneath dough.
7. Dip stamping tool in flour to prevent sticking, and then press into dough. Make sure to press firmly so texture is pronounced enough to survive baking, but not too much that cookie becomes too thin to handle. Cut out cookies & place on baking sheet, 1" apart. 
8. Roll out scraps & repeat, until all dough is used up. you may need to refrigerate the rolled out scraps if they become to warm & sticky. Repeat these steps with the other discs.
9. Bake in a preheated oven 8-10 minutes, rotating pans halfway through. Bake until cookies are a golden around the edges. 
10. While cookies are baking, make glaze. blend 3-4 Tbsp water, powdered sugar, and salt until smooth. If needed, add a little more water and mix until it's a thick liquid consistency, similar to maple syrup. Cover bowl with a dish so icing doesn't dry out.  
11. A couple of minutes after cookies come out of oven, while they're still warm, apply icing using paintbrush. work quickly, resisting the urge to go back and fix anything because the glaze starts setting in seconds. imperfections add to the texture and beauty! set the cookies on a baking tray to dry.
12. Allow to dry for several hours before putting in an airtight container. store at room temperature for up to a week.

fork, whisk, spatula, potato masher, chopstick, garlic press, meat tenderizer, citrus stripper, cherry pitter, Cuisinart pusher tool, wire pastry blender, vintage pie server, gnocchi board.