Elevate your holiday baking game by creating show-stopping cinnamon lattice cookies that will impress friends and family alike. The good news is that once you master this technique, it’s surprisingly easy. Instead of relying on elaborate decorations, the intricate lattice design takes center stage, making these treats perfect for a Christmas bake swap or as thoughtful gifts. As you take your first bite, you’ll be delighted by the unique combination of sweet sugar cookie flavor and buttery richness, courtesy of the latticing process. It’s a game-changer that will leave everyone wanting more.
How to Make Lattice Cookies like a Pro
At first glance, the cinnamon lattice cookies recipe may seem like a typical baked cookie recipe, requiring a mix of dry ingredients followed by beating in eggs, butter, and sugar to form a dough. However, what sets this recipe apart is its unique lattice design, which relies on precision-cut strips of dough. This attention to detail is crucial, as uneven strips can ruin the overall appearance of the finished cookies. The good news is that it’s easy to correct mistakes – simply re-roll the dough and try again. To achieve the desired crisscross pattern, a round cookie cutter is used to shape the final cookie forms. And don’t worry about scraps of dough going to waste; these can be rolled out to create additional strips or even formed into one plain cookie if only a small amount remains. The key to success lies in working efficiently and using cold dough, as warmer temperatures can make the lattice design more challenging to achieve. If needed, simply pop the dough back in the refrigerator to chill before continuing with the recipe.
Fun Tweaks and Variations
When it comes to experimenting with Christmas cookie shapes, you can’t go wrong with trying different designs while keeping the lattice pattern intact. Do you have any festive cookie cutters lying around? From jolly Santas to church bells and reindeer, as long as your cutter is simple and doesn’t have too many intricate details that might trap dough, it’s a great way to add some holiday cheer to your baking. And if you’re feeling extra adventurous, there’s no reason why you can’t stick with the classic round shape – these cookies are already quite elegant.Another fun twist you can try is adding food coloring or a colored ingredient like cocoa to one half of the dough, then weaving the lattices using light and dark dough for a unique effect. This technique isn’t limited to Christmas baking, either – imagine creating orange and green lattice patterns for Halloween treats or going all out with black dough for a dramatic look.Lattice designs aren’t exclusive to sweet baked goods, either. Pumpkin or apple pie, for example, might feature a lattice pastry top that’s designed to be loose enough to allow steam to escape from the filling while still looking great. And of course, there are savory pies too – the versatility of this technique is what makes it so appealing.To make baking even easier and more enjoyable, consider using parchment paper sheets. They’re perfect for preventing sticking and burning, and cleanup is a breeze.
History of the Lattice Design
During the second half of the 16th century and extending into the first half of the 18th, elaborate pies held a special place in culinary culture. While taste was still paramount, people developed a fascination with visually stunning pastries, which became an integral part of social gatherings and displays of opulence.
As architectural designs became more ornate during this era, so too did the art of baking. The upper echelons of society would showcase their refined tastes by presenting elaborately crafted baked goods on their tables.
In those times, pizza cutters were unheard of; instead, cooks relied on sharp knives to carefully craft each pie, a testament to the enduring passion for precision and flair in baking.
What is Sanding Sugar?
Sprinkled with a generous helping of white sanding sugar before baking, these Christmas cookies boast a unique texture that sets them apart from others. For the uninitiated, sanding sugar is a type of crystal sugar that maintains its shape even when heated, earning it aliases like decorating sugar or pearl sugar. Its distinctive appearance makes it an ideal choice for adding a touch of festive flair to your holiday treats.
If you’re looking for more sweet inspiration, why not try our recipes for Vegan Gluten Free Pistachio Cookies, Gluten Free Chocolate Dipped Almond Horns, or Biscotti X Fig Cookies?
Cinnamon Lattice Cookies Recipe
Cinnamon Lattice Cookies
As you prepare for the holiday season, take your Christmas baking and holiday baking to new heights with these delectable cinnamon lattice cookies. They’re sure to become a new family favorite! With only an hour and twenty minutes of prep time, and just fourteen minutes in the oven, you can’t go wrong. In fact, from start to finish, this recipe will take you just under two hours to complete, yielding sixteen scrumptious treats that are perfect for sharing with loved ones.
Instructions
To begin, in one bowl combine the dry ingredients and set them aside. In another bowl, whisk together the eggs and yolks. Set this mixture aside as well. Next, in the bowl of a mixer, cream the butter until it’s light and fluffy. Add the sugar to the butter and mix until combined. Then, add the vanilla and egg mixture to the bowl and mix until well combined. Gradually incorporate the dry ingredients into the wet mixture until a dough forms. Divide the dough into four equal pieces, shape each piece into a disk, wrap in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least two hours.After chilling, remove the dough from the fridge and unwrap each disk. Place each disk between lightly floured pieces of parchment paper, dusting with more flour as needed to prevent sticking. Roll out each disk to a 14-inch square that’s about 1/8 inch thick. Stack the dough squares on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, cover the sheet with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for about 30 minutes.Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Prepare two baking sheets by lining them with parchment paper. Remove one of the baking sheets from the fridge, unwrap it, and remove two dough pieces. Rewrap the baking sheet and return it to the fridge. Using a pizza cutter, slice each dough piece into 1/2-inch wide strips.To create the lattice pattern, start by gently folding back every other strip in half without bending. Position one strip from the second dough piece perpendicularly against the bends in the folded strips. Unfold the bent strips so they lie on top of the perpendicular strip. Repeat this process, alternating between the two dough pieces and crisscrossing the strips to create a lattice pattern that covers half of each dough square.Turn the parchment paper 180 degrees and repeat the process on the other half of each dough square. Using a 3 1/2-inch round cutter, cut out cookies and transfer them to the prepared baking sheets. As you go, gather scraps and wrap them tightly in plastic wrap to refrigerate. Sprinkle the cookies lightly with topping sugar.Repeat the rolling, chilling, lattice-making, baking, and cooling process to create the remaining cookies. Once all the cookies are baked, cool them on the baking sheets for five minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.