Is it just me or is anyone else still trying to get into the groove of things after the Thanksgiving holiday??
I feel like my body is still trying to catch up from all that traveling.
I've been pretty exhausted.
However.
I'm never too exhausted for cookies!!!
On this post, each month bring around a spouses coffee. It's basically a bunch of Army wives from the same Battalion/Brigade getting together to eat, chat and just hang out.
I haven't gone in a couple months. I think I may be protesting since they don't actually serve coffee at these things. And you all know how much I love my coffee right???
Anyway. This month's coffee was a cookie exchange theme.
I was so excited when I heard that. I ran out to the store to get some ingredients to make a couple dozen cookies for the cookie exchange.
I found this recipe in a book that I have called Cookie Swap. This book has so many recipes and ideas for cookie exchanges or parties. It covers different seasons and holidays. When I ran across this recipe I knew these needed to be made.
After I pulled them out of the oven and tasted my first one, I sent a text message to a friend of mine who was coming for dinner that night. The text message read:
"Oh. My. Gawd! The cookies. Oh Catherine...the cookies."
LOL! Yes. These were so good that they didn't make it to the cookie exchange. Instead, they pretty much made it to my belly.
They are called meltaways for a reason. They literally melt in your mouth. They dissolve and all you taste is butter, rum and powdered sugar.
These cookies are amazing!
My friend's husband knew exactly how to describe these cookies. The only thing you could decipher in between mouthfuls of these buttered rum meltaways was "they taste like Christmas."
So, if you are like me and need to get back into the groove of things. And if you need a little push into the realm of holiday spirit. I highly suggest you make these cookies as soon as humanly possible.
I dare you to give a dozen away!
Let's make some cookies!
Grab your ingredients: cake flour, RUM, vanilla extract, rum extract, whole nutmeg, salt, ground cinnamon, ground cloves, powdered sugar and buttah!
Whisk together the cake flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves and salt in a medium bowl.
Why hello there kitchen helper. Thanks so much for whisking up those dry ingredients!
Cream together the butter and 3/4 cup of the powdered sugar in a mixing bowl. Start on low until the danger of flying powdered sugar has passed. Then crank that baby to medium for 1 to 2 minutes...
Until the mixture is light and fluffy. Then slowly add the rum and extracts until well combined.
Turn the mixer to low and gradually add in the dry mixture.
Until well combined.
Then roll the dough into 1 inch balls and place them on a parchment lined baking sheet about 2 inches apart. Stick them in the fridge for about 10 minutes. This helps them hold their shape during baking.
Bake 9-11 minutes. The cookie should puff up and the bottom should be a light brown color. Using an offset spatula, immediately transfer the cookies onto a cooling rack.
While the cookies are still warm, sift the remaining powdered sugar over the cookies.
Ummmm...hello there kitchen helper. Whaaatcha doooin???
Right before serving, give the cookies another sifting of powdered sugar and sprinkle on some nutmeg to taste.
Serve and enjoy!!!
Buttered Rum Meltaways
Slightly adapted from Cookie Swap by Julia M. Usher
Printer Friendly Version
Ingredients:
- 2 1/4 cups cake flour
- 2 1/2 teaspoons freshly grated nutmeg, plus extra for sprinkling
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 3/8 teaspoon ground cloves
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, slightly softened
- 1 1/4 cups powdered sugar, divided; plus extra as needed for re-coating
- 1 tablespoon spiced rum
- 1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 1 1/4 teaspoons rum extract
Directions:
- Position a rack in center of oven. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Line 2 large cookie sheets with parchment paper.
- Whisk together the flour, nutmeg, cinnamon, cloves and salt in a medium mixing bowl until well combined. Set aside.
- Cream together the butter and 3/4 cup powdered sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer until light and fluffy. About 2 to 3 minutes on medium speed.
- Slowly add in rum and both extracts.
- Turn mixer to low and slowly add in dry ingredients. Mix until well combined.
- Roll dough into 1 inch balls and position on parchment paper lined baking sheet about 2 inches apart.
- Chill dough balls about 10 minutes.
- Bake in preheated oven for 9-11 minutes or until cookies puff and bottoms lightly brown.
- Remove from oven and immediately transfer cookies to a cooling rack using an offset spatula.
- Sift the remaining powdered sugar over the tops of the still warm cookies.
- Prior to serving, re-coat the cookies with powdered sugar (as needed) and sprinkle with freshly grated nutmeg to taste.
- Serve and enjoy!!