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Eva's German Christmas Cookies

Ingredients

• 400 grams spelt flour (I weigh it, but it's about 3 1/4 cups)
• 100 grams almond meal about 1 cup
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1 1/2 teaspoons nutmeg
• 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cloves
• 250 grams brown sugar a generous 1 cup
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 2 sticks unsalted butter
• 2 eggs
• i teaspoon vanilla extract
• Vanilla Glaze
• 1 cup powdered sugar
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 tablespoon melted butter
• 3 tablespoons milk

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 Line a baking sheet with parchment paper
2. Combine flours, baking powder, salt and spices in a large bowl and set aside. Using an electric mixer with the paddle attachment, beat butter and sugars on high speed for about 1 minute until light and fluffy. Add one egg at a time and once fully incorporated, add vanilla. With the mixer on low, add the dry ingredients, scraping the bowl as necessary. You might find that you need to hand mix the dough to fully mix all of the flour. Divide dough into two portions, wrap in plastic wrap pressing into a disk and refrigerate for at least an hour.
3. Remove one disk of chilled dough and roll to about 1/4 inch thick on a lightly floured surface. Cut out desired shapes and place on baking sheet. I tend to choose smaller sized shapes because the spice in these cookies is very flavorful. Bake on the middle rack for 8-10 minutes. *If you want to skip the vanilla glaze, sprinkle with turbinado sugar before putting in the oven.
4. IMPORTANT: these are the type of cookies that need to come out before they look done unless you want them crispy. Take them out of oven when top is dry and edges are barely beginning to brown. Let rest on baking sheet for a few minutes, then transfer to cooling rack.
5. While cookies cool, make vanilla glaze by mixing all ingredients. The consistency should be thick enough that it doesn’t run right off the cookie and can be easily brushed or drizzled on. Glaze the cookies or sprinkle turbinado sugar if you want a more festive looking cookie. Enjoy!