#4 Cinnamon Sugar Crisps 1944

Light, airy, with deep spice on the back of the tongue, these are the first cookies from the book to which I could become addicted. Molasses is the star flavor.  But add cinnamon, a rich brown color, and the bear shapes, and nearly everyone asks if they are "gingerbread" cookies. No ginger in them.

Use a spatula to transfer cookie to cookie sheet.

They are crisper and lighter, thinner (gotta love thinner) than gingerbread you'd use to make houses. In 1944, Gourmet Magazine suggested sending these to soldiers abroad. I could see how they'd hold up to travel, so I sent some to my daughter, at school in Evanston, Illinois. I also shared with my teammates at the Granite Curling Club (where I've been a member for 25+ years), and at a meeting with my research colleagues. They were a hit.

Do you detect a strategy to avoid eating them all myself?

Brush cookie tops with water and sprinkle on sparkling sugar.

My rolling pin got another workout, but this dough, once refrigerated, was much easier to roll than others.  Extra flour on the counter helped, but these roll into a smooth layer, with less resistance than some doughs. Once rolled out, I cut each shape quickly and slid my spatula under each to lift it to the parchment.  The leftover dough went back into the frig in a burger-patty form to cool for next time.

This might be a winter-only cookie. It helps that it was close to freezing outside and my kitchen cool when I mixed these up. But on a warmer day - or one when you'd prefer to move slowly - you can follow the instructions in the video I found here, and roll your dough between two sheets of parchment paper, then pop it into the freezer before cutting your shapes.

Keep on Struttin'? Or, "Hey, baby, whacha doin' tonight?"

Technique Notes:  I suggest handling this dough gently - no more folding or kneading than necessary, especially with leftover dough that has been rolled and cut before. The first batch of dough that I squished and rolled multiple times took up too much flour and became flavorful dog biscuits. To get the light texture, give a light touch.

I have spared you the photos of decapitated cookie bears and prune-like hearts, resulting from my insistence on working with dough that had warmed and stuck to the counter in spite of my copious use of flour. The frig is your friend.

Then again, I do like the bears with attitude.

The recipe is available here and there.