Chai Spiral Cookies

Well I didn't feel like cooking dinner tonight...but I'm always up for baking! ^^ So I looked in my handy dandy Pampered Chef's Simply Sweet dessert cookbook, and found this cookie recipe (I didn't feel like making brownies, cakes, etc.). I figured, Hey, cookies are usually easy, I'll do it! Well....it wasn't TOO hard....but it wasn't easy either. And it wasn't short. Lots of waiting around time. When I finally got to the baking part, I was thinking it wasn't worth all the time/effort. BUT.... when I tasted the cookies...mmmmmm heaven! So it is worth it! I think I just need an actual pastry mat instead of using foil.....

~Chai Spiral Cookies~

Ingredients:
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
3 tbsp all-purpose flour
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1 1/2 tsp pumpkin pie spice (can use Cinnamon Plus Spice Blend (PC))
3/4 tsp ground cardamom
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup butter, softened
2/3 cup granulated sugar
1 egg
1/2 tsp Double-Strength Vanilla (PC) [I used 1 tsp of average vanilla]
1 1/2 tbsp light molasses
Coarse white decorating sugar

Step 1: Combine 1 3/4 cups of flour, baking powder, spice, and salt; mix well.
Step 2: Beat butter and sugar on medium-high speed [or by hand] until creamy.
Step 3: Add egg and vanilla; beat until light and fluffy.
Step 4: Gradually add flour mixture; mix on low speed just until mixture forms into a dough.
Step 5: Divide dough in half. To one half, add molasses and remaining 3 tbsp flour; mix well.
Step 6: Cover; refrigerate doughs 30 minutes.

Step 7: Roll out each piece of dough on Pastry Mat (PC) to an 8 x 11-inch rectangle [this is where I used aluminum foil instead...not recommended] using lightly floured Baker's Roller (PC).
Step 8: Place light-colored dough on top of dark-colored dough.
Step 9: Starting on long side of rectangle, roll up tightly into a log.
Step 10: Sprinkle decorating sugar on a 10 x 15 inch piece of parchment paper.
Step 11: Place log on parchment; roll in sugar to coat evenly.
Step 12: Wrap in parchment; refrigerate 2 hours.

Step 13: Preheat oven to 350F. Line cookie sheet with parchment paper. Cut dough into 1/4-inch slices.
Step 14: Place slices on cookie sheet, spacing 2 inches apart.
Step 15: Bake 7-9 minutes or until cookies are set.
Step 16: Remove from oven. Slide parchment AND cookies onto cooling rack; cool completely.
Step 17: Repeat with remaining dough.

Recipe times:
Prep time: 30 minutes
Total time: 3 hours

My times:
Prep time: 50 minutes
Cooking/refrigerating time: 2 hours 46 minutes
TOTAL TIME: 3 hours 36 minutes

I admit, it is a long time. But most of the time is spent waiting around for the dough sitting in the fridge! So all in all, really didn't take much actual DOING time. And my prep time was longer because I had absolutely no clue what I was doing while rolling out the dough, layering the two separate pieces, and rolling it into a log. First time for everything, right?! :) But it was a success, and the cookies are wonderful and amazingly flavorful. I will definitely make it again in the future (hopefully I'll have a proper pastry mat).

Ingredients

Step 1 & 3

Step 4

Step 5

Step 11

Step 13

Step 13

Step 14

Step 16 (Fini)