This recipe is adapted from an old Pillsbury recipe booklet (the kind that you see at the supermarket checkout). They turned out pretty yummy, even though I didn’t bake them quite long enough. I also made them too long the first time, so if you follow the recipe exactly, yours will look half as long as the ones in the photo. I’m probably going to bake another batch for Thanksgiving, so I’ll have another shot to get them PERFECT.
Iced Cinnamon Shortbread Sticks
3/4 cup firmly packed dark brown sugar
1 cup butter, softened
1 tsp. Mexican vanilla
1 egg
2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/4 tsp cinnamon spice blend, divided (see recipe below)
1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
2 – 4 Tbsp. unfiltered apple juice
In a stand mixer, combine the brown sugar, butter, vanilla and egg; beat until light and fluffy. Add flour and 3/4 tsp of the cinnamon spice blend; mix well until dough forms a ball. Flatten the ball of dough slightly, until it forms a disk, wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for about an hour.
Heat oven to 350 degrees. On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough out into a square about 12 X 12 inches. Cut dough into 1 X 3 inch strips with a pastry wheel or sharp knife, using a clean ruler as a guide. Place sticks 1/2 apart on parchment-lined cookie sheets.
Bake at 350 degrees for 12 – 15 minutes or until edges are browning slightly. Immediately remove from cookie sheets. Set aside to cool completely.
Meanwhile, in a small bowl, blend powdered sugar and remaining 1/2 tsp of spice blend, starting out with 2 Tbsp. apple juice, until smooth, adding more apple juice, if needed, for desired glaze consistency. Spread glaze on tops of cookies. Let stand until glaze is set before storing.
Makes 4 dozen cookies.
Cinnamon Spice Blend
6 Tbsp. ground cinnamon
1 Tbsp. ground allspice
1 Tbsp. dried orange peel
2 tsp. ground nutmeg
1 tsp. ground cloves
1/2 tsp. ground ginger
Mix all ingredients together until blended. Store leftover spice in a tightly lidded glass jar or small airtight plastic container. We use this mixture in just about anything that calls for cinnamon. It’s great when mixed with sugar to use for cinnamon toast.
(Another great recipe that uses the Cinnamon Spice Blend can be found here.)