Small Cookie Sunday: Cinnamon Diamonds
These are my brother Bill’s favorite Christmas cookie. They were one of the special cookies our mother baked for the holidays. This is her exact recipe, copied from her handwritten recipe card. I have not made it for many years, and have frankly forgotten what they were like, but when they came out of the oven and I cut them into diamonds and had my first taste of them, the memory came rushing back. Oh my! Buttery and nutty and cinnamony, yummy good. Bill’s special occasion was that he was going in for minor surgery, and I thought it would be a good way to make it clear to him that someone was thinking about him!
Like all cookies from long ago, not too sweet and not too big.
- 2 cups flour
- 1 – 1/2 tsp cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp nutmeg
- 1 cup brown sugar
- 1 cup butter, very soft
- 1 beaten egg yolk
- 1 slightly beaten egg white
- 1 cup chopped toasted pecans
- 2 Tbsp white sugar
- Mix flour, spices and brown sugar together, add the soft butter and egg yolk until thoroughly blended.
- Prepare a 15 x 13 pan: butter the pan very lightly, place wax paper or parchment paper on it, then butter the parchment paper. Pat dough evenly in pan to about 1/4 inch thick. To even the thickness, lightly roll the dough with a rolling pin.
- Brush top with egg white, sprinkle with the nuts and sugar. Lightly press the nuts into the dough. If desired, spray the top with water to help set the sugar and nuts. Bake at 350 for 20 – 25 minutes or until crisp.
- Pull out of oven, run a knife along edges, then slide a spatula under the parchment to loosen the cookies. Place a cookie sheet or cooling rack over the pan and, with both held firmly together, turn over as one. Press the bottom of the pan to release the baked sheet. Cool slightly, then carefully measure and cut into diamonds, about 1 – 1/2 x 3.
I packaged these two different ways just for fun, and gave Bill several packages of each. That way he can open one and keep the others for later.
Package #1
- Our new window favor bags
- Square labels, shape 2B in Boston Brew style
- Small labels with the chef’s hat, shape 28 in Boston Brew style
Package #2
- Small tin tie bags in kraft with windows
- Labels shape 06, Picture Perfect style I used one of my favorites pictures of Bill – he is blindfolded in a game and in the background are his daughter, son, niece, and mother; memories of a very fun time.
- Text label shape 12, Picture Perfect
Jeanne and her husband David launched My Own Labels in January of 2000. It was a spin-off of their successful graphic design firm, plus it allowed Jeanne to incorporate her love of baking, making, sewing and creating. Today David and Jeanne continue to be the heart of the operation both creatively and practically.