Jan Hagels

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Jan Hagels
Jan Hagels are crunchy cinnamon and almond flavored Dutch cookies that are irresistible.
Recipe type: Dessert | Bar Cookie | Almond Cookies
Prep time: 
Cook time: 
Total time: 
Recipe Notes
Pan: one 10½ x15½ x1 inch Jelly Roll Pan Prep: Greased or Parchment Lined Oven Temp: 350° Storage: Airtight Container, Room Temperature

Help: Cookie Hints and Tips

TheBakingPan Recommends: The BEST instant read thermometer I’ve used for cooking and baking; the ThermoWorks Splash-Proof Super-Fast Thermapen Thermometer is incredibly fast, ThermoWorks Splash-Proof Super-Fast Thermapenaccurate, and well worth the investment. I use my Thermapen Thermometer for checking room temperature ingredients, tempering chocolate, baking bread, making pastry creams, sugar syrup, caramel, and candy, cooking meats and fish, and deep frying. Thermapen Thermometer available here.
Ingredients
Dough:
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • ¾ teaspoon ground cinnamon, divided
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
  • ½ cup + 2 tablespoons granulated sugar, divided
  • ½ cup firmly packed light brown sugar
  • 1 large egg, separated
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • ½ teaspoon pure almond extract
  • 1 cup sliced almonds
Instructions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Prepare one 10½ x15½ x1 inch Jelly Roll pan; lightly grease the pan with shortening, or line the pan with parchment paper, allowing overhang on all sides. Tip: rub a bit of vegetable shortening or butter in the bottom of the pan corners and well as the pan sides to help the parchment paper to stay in place.
Dough:
  1. In a medium mixing bowl, combine flour, ½ teaspoon cinnamon, and salt; sift or whisk together. Set aside.
  2. In a large bowl of an electric mixer, add the butter and beat on medium speed until smooth and creamy, about 1 minute. Add ½ cup granulated sugar and brown sugar and then beat for about 1 to 2 minutes to thoroughly combine. While adding the sugar, stop the mixer if necessary to scrape the mixture off the paddle and scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl with a rubber spatula so the mixture blends evenly. Add the egg yolk, vanilla extract, and almond extract and beat an additional 1 to 2 minutes to thoroughly combine.
  3. Reduce the speed to low, and add the flour mixture in 3 to 4 additions, and mix just until thoroughly incorporated.
  4. Spread the dough evenly in the prepared pan, smoothing the top with the back of a large spoon or rubber spatula or offset spatula.
  5. In a small bowl, whisk the egg white with a fork until frothy, and then spread evenly over the dough. Sprinkle the sliced almonds evenly over the top of the egg whites.
  6. In a small bowl, combine the remaining ¼ teaspoon cinnamon and 2 tablespoons granulated sugar. Sprinkle evenly over the top of the almonds.
  7. Bake: Bake 25 to 30 minutes or until the top is golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Leave cookie in the pan to cool; place baking pan on a wire cooling rack to cool for 10 minutes. While cookie is still warm cut into diamond shapes; cut diagonally from one corner to about 3 inches off from the diagonal corner. Make parallel diagonal cuts about 1½ inch apart. Once all the diagonal cuts are made, make straight cuts lengthwise about 1½ inch apart, creating diamond shaped pieces. Tip: My favorite tool to cut bar cookies is a stainless steel dough scraper; simply push the dough scraper straight down into the cookie, or use a pizza cutter or small kitchen knife to cut the cookie.
  8. Let cookies cool completely; remove from the pan with a small metal spatula.

Mandelhoernchen

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Mandelhoernchen
This recipe is shared with me by Albert Greuter, from his Great Grandmother Preussner who had all her recipes hand written in German, but Albert has since translated into English. These little cookies are delightful, with a nice nutty almond flavor and cinnamon coating. Mandelhoernchen means “Almond Horns,” as the dough is rolled into ropes then cut into smaller pieces which are curved into a crescent, or “horn” shape.
Recipe type: Dessert | Shaped Cookies
Prep time: 
Cook time: 
Total time: 
Recipe Notes
Pan: Two Large Baking Sheets Pan Prep: Greased or Parchment Lined Oven Temp: 325° Yield: 5½ Dozen Storage: Airtight Container, Room Temperature

Help: Cookie Hints and Tips, Blanching Almonds

TheBakingPan Recommends: The BEST instant read thermometer I’ve used for cooking and baking; the ThermoWorks Splash-Proof Super-Fast Thermapen Thermometer is incredibly fast, ThermoWorks Splash-Proof Super-Fast Thermapenaccurate, and well worth the investment. I use my Thermapen Thermometer for checking room temperature ingredients, tempering chocolate, baking bread, making pastry creams, sugar syrup, caramel, and candy, cooking meats and fish, and deep frying. Thermapen Thermometer available here.
Ingredients
Dough:
  • 3⅓ cups all-purpose flour
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • ¼ cup finely chopped blanched almonds
  • 1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
  • ⅓ cup granulated sugar
  • 2 teaspoons pure almond extract
Topping:
  • 1 cup confectioners (powdered) sugar
  • 2 tablespoons ground cinnamon
Instructions
Dough:
  1. In a medium mixing bowl, combine flour, salt, and almonds; whisk together to mix. Set aside.
  2. In a large bowl of an electric mixer, combine butter and sugar; mix together until well combined. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl with a rubber spatula so the mixture blends evenly. Add almond extract; mix until thoroughly blended. Add flour mixture, mixing until combined. Tip: When adding the flour the mixture will seem dry and crumbly. Keep mixing until the dough comes together.
  3. Cover and refrigerate dough until chilled, 2 to 3 hours.
  4. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Prepare 2 large baking sheets; lightly grease with shortening, or line with parchment paper, or line with a non-stick baking mat.
  5. Shape chilled dough into ropes ½ inch thick; cup ropes into 2 inch long pieces. Curve each cut piece into a crescent shape, smoothing the cut ends. Tip: Gently curve around your finger to form the crescent shape.
  6. Bake: Place crescents about 1 inch apart onto baking sheets. Bake 15 to 18 minutes or until cookies are set but not brown.
  7. Remove baking sheets from oven.
Topping:
  1. In a medium bowl, combine powdered sugar and cinnamon. Sift or stir together to thoroughly combine.
  2. While cookies are still hot from the oven, roll each cookie in the powered sugar mixture until completely coated.
  3. Place cookies on wire cooling racks to let cool. When completely cooled, re-roll the cookies in the powdered sugar mixture again.

Snickerdoodle Cookies

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Snickerdoodle Cookies
Snickerdoodle Cookies are an all-time favorite for my family. These cookies are soft, yet a bit crunchy, with a wonderful taste of cinnamon. After baking, the cookies have a sugary cracked top.
Recipe type: Dessert | Shaped Cookies
Prep time: 
Cook time: 
Total time: 
Recipe Notes
Pan: Two Large Baking Sheets Pan Prep: Ungreased or Parchment Lined Oven Temp: 400° Yield: 5 Dozen Storage: Airtight Container, Room Temperature

Help: Cookie Hints and Tips

TheBakingPan Recommends: The BEST instant read thermometer I’ve used for cooking and baking; the ThermoWorks Splash-Proof Super-Fast Thermapen Thermometer is incredibly fast, ThermoWorks Splash-Proof Super-Fast Thermapenaccurate, and well worth the investment. I use my Thermapen Thermometer for checking room temperature ingredients, tempering chocolate, baking bread, making pastry creams, sugar syrup, caramel, and candy, cooking meats and fish, and deep frying. Thermapen Thermometer available here.
Ingredients
Dough:
  • ½ cup unsalted butter, room temperature
  • ½ cup vegetable shortening
  • 1½ cups granulated sugar
  • 2 large eggs
  • 2¾ cups all-purpose flour
  • 2 teaspoons cream of tarter
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • ½ teaspoon salt
Topping:
  • ¼ cup sugar
  • 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
Instructions
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Baking sheets may be ungreased, lined with parchment paper, or lined with a non-stick baking mat.
Dough:
  1. In a large bowl of an electric mixer, combine butter, shortening, and 1½ cups sugar; cream together until mixture appears light and fluffy. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl with a rubber spatula so the mixture blends evenly. Add eggs; beat until thoroughly mixed. Add flour, cream of tarter, baking soda, and salt; stir until mixed.
  2. Shape dough into small balls, about 1” in diameter. Tip: An ice cream scoop is ideal for making uniform-sized cookies.
Topping:
  1. In a small bowl, combine topping ingredients of ¼ cup sugar and cinnamon. Roll the balls in the topping mixture until completely coated.
  2. Bake: Place balls 2 inches apart onto baking sheets. Bake 10 to 11 minutes. Tops of cookies should be puffed up and still soft in the middle. Remove cookies from baking sheets with a metal spatula and place on a wire cooling rack to cool. The cookies will flatten out as they cool.

Cinnamon Swirl Refrigerator Cookies

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Cinnamon Swirl Refrigerator Cookies
Cinnamon pinwheel swirls in a cinnamon dough and a vanilla icing.
Recipe type: Dessert | Refrigerator Cookies
Prep time: 
Cook time: 
Total time: 
Recipe Notes
Pan: Two Large Baking Sheets Pan Prep: Parchment Lined or Lightly Greased Oven Temp: 350° Yield: 6 Dozen Storage: Airtight Container, Room Temperature

Help: Cookie Hints and Tips

TheBakingPan Recommends: The BEST instant read thermometer I’ve used for cooking and baking; the ThermoWorks Splash-Proof Super-Fast Thermapen Thermometer is incredibly fast, ThermoWorks Splash-Proof Super-Fast Thermapenaccurate, and well worth the investment. I use my Thermapen Thermometer for checking room temperature ingredients, tempering chocolate, baking bread, making pastry creams, sugar syrup, caramel, and candy, cooking meats and fish, and deep frying. Thermapen Thermometer available here.
Ingredients
Dough:
  • 1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
  • ½ cup granulated sugar
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • 3 cups all-purpose flour, plus additional for work surface
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Filling:
  • 1 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
  • 2 tablespoons ground cinnamon
Icing:
  • 2 ½ cups confectioners (powdered) sugar
  • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • 3 to 4 tablespoons milk (preferably whole milk)
Instructions
Dough:
  1. In a large bowl of an electric mixer, combine butter and sugar; beat together until mixture is light and fluffy. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl with a rubber spatula so the mixture blends evenly. Add eggs and vanilla; beat until thoroughly mixed. Add flour, baking powder, salt, and 1 teaspoon cinnamon; stir until mixed.
  2. Pat dough into a 6 inch disc. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 2 hours.
Filling:
  1. In a small bowl, combine brown sugar and 2 tablespoons cinnamon. Set aside.
Assembly:
  1. On a lightly floured surface, roll dough into a rectangular shape and a ¼ inch thickness. Sprinkle brown sugar cinnamon filling mixture evenly over dough and press lightly into the dough with your fingers.
  2. Roll-up dough jelly-roll style, starting with a long side. Brush off any excess flour from the dough. Wrap in wax paper or plastic wrap and refrigerate until well chilled, at least 4 hours or overnight.
  3. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Prepare 2 large baking sheets; lightly grease with shortening, or line with parchment paper, or line with a non-stick baking mat.
  4. Slice dough into ¼ inch slices and place 2 inches apart on baking sheets. Return remaining dough to refrigerator until ready to use. Tip: My favorite tool to cut refrigerator cookies is a stainless steel dough scraper; simply push the dough scraper straight down into the cookie for straight cuts. Or use a small kitchen knife to slice the cookies.
  5. Bake: Bake 9 minutes or until cookies are set and the edges are just barely browned. Remove from oven and let cookies cool on baking sheet one minute. Remove cookies from baking sheets with a metal spatula and place on a wire cooling rack to finish cooling.
Icing:
  1. In a small mixing bowl, combine confectioner’s sugar, butter, and vanilla; stir until mixed. Add enough milk so the mixture is a good drizzling consistency; stir until smooth. Drizzle on cooled cookies.
Recipe adapted from Taste of the South Magazine, 2007

Cinnamon Stars

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Cinnamon Stars
Cinnamon Stars are made with egg whites, and ground almond dough that is rolled and cutout with a star-shaped cookie cutter. The taste and texture of these delightful little stars will remind you of an almond macaroon, with a wonderful cinnamon flavor and just the barest hint of lemon. After rolling and cutting the cookies, some of the reserved egg white mixture is spread over the tops, creating a white topped star. For those on special diets, these cookies are both dairy free and flour/gluten free
Recipe type: Dessert | Rolled and Cutout Cookies
Prep time: 
Cook time: 
Total time: 
Recipe Notes
Pan: Two Large Baking Sheets Pan Prep: Parchment Lined Oven Temp: 375° Yield: 4 Dozen Storage: Airtight Container, Room Temperature

Help: Cookie Hints and Tips
Ingredients
Dough:
  • 2¾ cup unblanched almonds, finely ground
  • 2 tablespoons ground cinnamon
  • 1½ teaspoons (½ lemon) freshly grated lemon zest
  • 4 large eggs whites
  • 1/16 teaspoon salt
  • ¼ teaspoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
  • 2 cups confectioners’ (powdered) sugar
Rolling Dough:
  • ¾ to 1 cup confectioners’ (powdered) sugar
Glaze:
  • ½ cup reserved egg white mixture
  • 2 teaspoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
Instructions
Dough:
  1. In a medium mixing bowl, combine ground almonds, cinnamon, and lemon zest; whisk together to mix. Set aside.
  2. In top of a double boiler, combine egg whites, salt, and lemon juice. Beat until frothy with a hand-held electric mixer. Add powdered sugar and beat until well blended. Place pan over simmering water (the upper pan should not touch the water.) Cook, beating constantly with mixer on high speed, about 6 to 7 minutes or until stiff peaks form. Remove from heat.Tip: Create a double boiler by filling a saucepan with 2 inches of water and bringing it to a simmer. Place a stainless steel, ceramic, or glass bowl on top of the simmering water, the upper pan should not touch the water.
  3. Remove ½ cup of the egg white mixture and set aside in a small bowl for the glaze.
  4. Using a large rubber spatula, fold the almond mixture into the remaining egg white mixture. Let mixture cool for 30 minutes to 1 hour to room temperature.
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Prepare 2 large baking sheets in one of 2 ways. Either line with parchment paper to keep the cookies gluten/flour free and to prevent the cookies from sticking to the pan. Or, grease and flour the pans to keep the cookies from sticking.
Rolling Dough:
  1. Turn dough onto a pastry mat or pastry board that has been heavily dusted with powdered sugar. Knead ½ cup powdered sugar into the dough. Knead additional powdered sugar into dough if necessary to make dough stiff enough to handle and roll out.
  2. Sprinkle the work surface with more of the powdered sugar. Using a powdered sugar dusted rolling pin, roll dough to a ¼ inch thickness, dusting rolling pin frequently with powdered sugar and lifting the dough several times and sprinkling powdered sugar underneath the dough as necessary to prevent sticking.
  3. Cut dough into star shapes using a 2 inch star cookie cutter that has been dipped in powdered sugar (to help prevent dough from sticking to the cutter.) Reroll scraps and continue rolling and cutting out cookies until all the dough is used.
Glaze:
  1. Stir lemon juice into reserved egg white mixture to make glaze a good spreading consistency. Spread glaze over the stars in a smooth, even, thin layer; a small artist paintbrush works well for spreading the glaze.
  2. Bake: Bake 15 to 20 minutes or just until cookies are firm or the glaze is just beginning to get a tinge of brown. Be careful not to overbrown the glaze as you will lose the white topped look. Remove from oven and immediately remove cookies from baking sheets with a metal spatula and place on a wire cooling rack to cool.
Adapted From: Baggett, Nancy, The International Cookie Cookbook, Stewart, Tabori & Chang, New York, 1988
Wolter, Annette, Teubner, Christian, Best of Baking, Fisher Publishing, 1980