Chai Spice Cookies

I found this recipe in a hand-me-down issue of Better Homes and Gardens.  How could you possibly go wrong with chai spice tea and molasses?!  

I followed the recipe exactly the first time (stars) but just can't rationalize cut-out cookies in my schedule.  Pretty? Sure! Tastes just the same? Yup. 

So instead of rolling the dough, I made them like my Great-Grandma's refrigerator cookies and voila - my absolute favorite go-to cookie. 

Chai Spice Cookies

Prep: 25 minutes

Chill: 3 hours-3 weeks (or freeze)

Makes: 48 2" cookies

Bake: 10 minutes

Oven: 350° F

2 spiced chai-flavor tea bags, like Stash's Chai Green... mmm

3 cups all-purpose flour

2 tsp. pumpkin pie spice
(or 1/4 t clove, 1/4 t allspice, 1/2 t ginger, 1 t cinnamon)

1-1/2 cups salted butter, softened

1 cup granulated sugar

2 egg yolks

2 T molasses

1 recipe Powdered Sugar Icing (below)

In large bowl, whisk together flour, pumpkin pie spice and contents of tea bags, set aside.  The flour mix alone is intoxicating!

In Cuisinart (or large mixing bowl) combine remaining ingredients and beat until light and a little bit fluffy.  Add to flour (I usually end up mixing with my hands until I can create a ball of dough to work with.) Divide dough in half.   

Here's where I divert from the recipe. Roll each half of the dough into a long cylinder, about 2" diameter and wrap it up in parchment, then plastic wrap, and stow it in the fridge 3 hours, or a couple weeks.

When ready to bake, unroll the parchment and cut off enough to line your cookie sheet.  Then cut 1/4" slices of the dough and make round cookies.  Bake 10 minutes, remove to a rack to cool.  Drizzle in crazy pattern with icing.  They're beautiful (super yummy) and everyone marvels that I can have cookies ready at the drop of a hat!  

Powdered Sugar Icing: In medium bowl combine 1-1/2 cups powdered sugar, 1 teaspoon vanilla, and 4 teaspoons milk. Stir in additional milk, 1 teaspoon at a time, until piping consistency.

to store: Layer cookies between waxed paper in covered airtight container. Store at room temperature up to 3 days or freeze up to 3 months.

Modified from: http://www.bhg.com/recipe/cookies/chai-spice-girls/

Updated: 12/12/10 (after making 7 consecutive batches in a Christmas baking marathon)

Moist Carrot Cake

Stan's favorite cake (excluding chocolate - that's evidently a class all its own).  An easy and fool-proof recipe, courtesy my friend Martha.  Omit the nuts for a toddler friendly version.

Moist Carrot Cake
2 c all purpose flour
2 t baking powder
1-1/2 t baking soda
1 T ground cinnamon
2 c white sugar
4 eggs
3/4 c oil
3/4 c unsweetened applesauce
2-3/4 c shredded carrots (or as much as you can smush into the batter)
1 c crushed pineapple, very well drained
1 c chopped walnuts
1 c unsweetened flake coconut

Preheat oven to 325F.  Grease and flour a 9x13 pan (I like glass for a crispy crust). Mix together the flour, baking soda, salt & cinnamon. Set aside.
In a large bowl, mix sugar, oil, applesauce and eggs. Beat in flour mixture. Stir in pineapple, shredded carrots, chopped nuts and coconut. Pour into prepared pan.
Bake in preheated oven for 45-55 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into center of cake comes out clean.  Allow to cool.

Frost with Allspice Cream Cheese Frosting.

Allspice Cream Cheese Frosting

I've never been a fan of the traditional cream cheese frosting... too sweet and the butter is completely unnecessary (in my humble opinion).  I've always made an impromptu version with cream cheese, a little lemon juice, sugar and vanilla.  This one, however, is the new favorite.  I can't imagine anything more perfect with yummy Moist Carrot Cake.

Allspice Cream Cheese Frosting
16 oz low fat cream cheese
3/4-1-1/2 t allspice (to taste)
5 T - 1/4 c powdered sugar
1 t vanilla

In a medium bowl, blend all ingredients together.  If needed, add milk 1 teaspoon at a time until spreadable.
Generously covers a 9x13 sheet cake.