Piggy Brown Sugar Cookies Recipes

PIGGIES: CINNAMON AND PILONCILLO COOKIES

Steps:

• In a saucepan, combine grated piloncillo or dark brown sugar with water and cinnamon. Place over medium heat, once it simmers, lower the heat to keep it at a medium-low simmer for about 15 minutes, until it thickens to a light syrup consistency. Turn off the heat and remove the cinnamon stick. You should have now about 1 1/4 cups piloncillo liquid, need not be exact! Add butter and honey into the hot liquid and stir until it dissolves.
• In a mixing bowl, combine flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Make a hole in the center and pour in the piloncillo mixture. Mix it all together with a spatula until it is well incorporated. Combine the eggs into the dough, which will be sticky and gooey. Seriously: it will be GOOEY and that is OK.
• Place plastic wrap in the bottom of a mixing bowl to have wings on the sides. With a spatula, push the dough onto the plastic wrap, wrap the dough, and refrigerate anywhere from 2 hours to a couple days.
• When you are ready to make the cookies, preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Grease a couple cookie or baking sheets with butter.
• Remove the dough from the refrigerator and sprinkle a couple tablespoons of flour on a countertop. Rub a bit of flour on the rolling pin as well. Roll out the dough which will now be firmer, until you have about 1/4 -inch thickness. Using piggie cookie cutters (or other shapes, but then you may need to change the name!) press down on the dough, moving it a bit on the counter top, to make it easier to lift the shaped dough.
• Place the piggies on the baking sheet as you shape them along. Gently brush the cookie tops with the remaining egg. Roll the leftover dough into a ball, wrap it with the plastic wrap, and place it in the freezer for at least 10 minutes before using it again, or it will be too soft and sticky. Repeat to make the remaining cookies.
• Bake the cookies anywhere from 7 to 9 minutes. Remove them from the oven and place on a cooking rack. You may sprinkle confectioners' sugar on top. Keep them covered so they remain soft.
• My boys love to eat them with a tall glass of milk, I like them with a hot cup of coffee.

PIGGY BROWN SUGAR COOKIES

Steps:

• 1. Preheat oven to 400°.Grease 2 cookie sheets or line with parchment paper. In a food processor, blend together the flour, cocoa, sugar, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt, 5 to 10 seconds. Add the butter and process to a mealy mixture, 45 to 50 seconds. Add the milk and vanilla. Process until the dough comes together in a ball. 2. Remove the dough and form into a flat disk with your hands. Chill the dough in the refrigerator 30 minutes to make it easier to handle.) Dust both sides lightly with flour and roll out on a lightly floured work surface to about 1/4-inch thickness. With a pig-shape cookie cutter, cut out cookies and place on cookie sheets. Gather the scraps and re-roll to make a few more cookies. Bake 10 to 12 minutes or until the tops are lightly browned. (Rotate the cookie sheet on the oven racks midway through for even baking.) 3. Meanwhile, prepare the glaze. In a small bowl, stir together the confectioners' sugar, the milk, and the vanilla until well blended. 4. When the cookies are done, leave them on the sheets and brush them lightly with glaze while they are still hot. Transfer to racks. When cool, store, covered, at room temperature, 3 to 5 days, or freeze in a sealed plastic freezer bag 3 to 4 weeks.From "1,000 Mexican Recipes." Copyright 2001 by Marge Poore. Used with permission of the publisher, Wiley Publishing, Inc. All Rights Reserved.