Sugar and Spice Cookies

So I'm stuck in the house on a cold rainy day, no baking supplies like chocolate chips or anything fancy and really need something sweet. After a search through recipes I decided to turn to my trusty "The Cookie Book" cookbook circa 1973. This may bring back memories for people around my age and from Canada, possibly America as well. Now, I was born in 1973 but probably bought this book in 1983? That's my guess anyway. Scholastic used to sell books from my school out of an order form then they were delivered to your school. This is the only one I kept through the years and quelle surprise it's a cookbook!

Original doodling all my own ;) I now treat my cookbooks much better!

I used to make so many cookies from this book and although it's a kid's cookbook everything turns out perfect and delicious! This was always the book I turned to for peanut butter cookies and snickerdoodles. All the recipes are separated by months, so there is a 'cookie for the month' and January's cookie was the 'Sugar and Spice'. Yes, I know it's February but I had all the ingredients for these and couldn't remember making them before.

After a few vegan adaptations I made them and oh my - they are so good! A nice and light cookie, crisp on the outside, soft and nicely spiced inside then tossed in icing sugar which sets it all off nicely. They remind me of a Christmas cookie due to the cinnamon, cloves and nutmeg but really, they would be nice any time of year :)

Makes 9 cookies:
50g (1/4 cup) vegan margarine
50g (1/4 cup) sugar
1 Tbsp brown rice syrup*
70g (1/2 cup) plain flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp ground cloves
1/4 tsp ground ginger
1 Tbsp water
1/2 Tbsp arrowroot or cornflour (cornstarch)
icing sugar to coat

*original recipe called for light or dark molasses but I had neither in the house so used brown rice syrup. It worked really well but I'm sure molasses (treacle) or golden syrup would be fine.

Preheat the oven to 190C/375F. Cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Mix together the arrowroot and water then add to the butter mixture a bit at a time whisking. Add the brown rice syrup and whisk well. In another bowl mix together all the dry ingredients. Add this to the butter/sugar mixture and mix well with a rubber spatula. Line a baking sheet with baking paper then using a tablespoon spoon the mixture onto the sheet, you should get 9 cookies out of this. Bake in the preheated oven for 8 - 10 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from the oven and leave them on the tray for a couple minutes then transfer to a wire rack. They will at this stage be very soft, don't worry, they crisp up when cooling. Let them cool a bit but while they are still warm toss them in the icing sugar and place back on the rack. Best a bit warm like this :)

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