Mulled Wine Cookies

Cookies, cookies, cookies, everyone loves to eat cookies!  Have you ever tried a very Unique Cookie called a Mulled Wine Cookies?  This is a Spanish cookie and you use red wine in the dough; after they are cooked, dip each one into the wine glaze after they are dried dust with power sugar.  Reprinted with permission of Crazy About Cookies, by Krystina Castella, copyright 2010, Sterling Publishing Co, Inc.

Mulled Wine Cookies 

Type of cookie: Hand shaped 36 cookies

Ingredients:

• 2 cups red wine
• 1 teaspoon anise seeds, crushed
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 cup vegetable oil
• 1 cup vegetable shortening
• 3 tablespoons baking powder
• 1 tablespoon anise extract
• 6 cups all-purpose flour
• Wine Glaze:
• 1 cup confectioners’ sugar, or more (if necessary)
• 1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 5 tablespoons red wine, or more if necessary
• 1/2 teaspoon anise extract

These cookies are based on the Spanish cookies called rosquillosde vino.  The flavor varies drastically depending on the wine you use.  For a wine cookie tasting, try merlot, shiraz, cabernet, pinot noir, and Chianti.  For a pure wine flavor, omit the anise and cinnamon.

Baking Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 325°F.  Line 2 cookie sheets with parchment paper.
2. Put the red wine, anise seeds, and cinnamon in a saucepan, and cook over medium-high heat until reduced to 1 cup.
3. Combine wine reduction with the sugar, oil, shortening, and baking powder in a large bowl.  Add the anise extract and mix well. Gradually add the flour, stirring until incorporated; the dough will be dry.
4. On a floured work surface, roll a handful of dough into a rope 1/3 inch thick.  Cut into 4-inch lengths. Form each length into a ring by making a loop and pinching both ends.  Transfer to the cookie sheets, placing the rings 2 inches apart.  Bake for 14 to 16 minutes, until golden.
5. Transfer to a rack, and let cool for 10 minutes.
6. Make the wine glaze: Combine the confectioners sugar, cinnamon, red wine, and anise extract, adding more sugar or wine until the mixture is of thin icing consistency. 
7. Dip the cookies in glaze and let dry on a cookie sheet.

For Champagne Cookies, replace the red wine in both the cookies and the glaze with champagne.