SPICED BUTTER COOKIES
These butter cookies, with a hint of cinnamon and nutmeg, can be drizzles with melted chocolate or dabbed with Fig Preserves, which is how I like them. They are made often in sugarcane country.

• 2 sticks (1/2 pound) butter, softened
• 1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon sugar
• 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon grated nutmeg
• 2 cups flour
• Cold water

Preheat the oven to 375°F. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.
Cream the butter in a bowl with an electric mixer. When the butter is soft and whipped, add the sugar, vanilla, cinnamon, and nutmeg. With the mixer on high speed, mix well, scraping the sides of the bowl as you mix. Beating at medium speed, add the flour, about 1/4 cup at a time. Stop the mixer from time to time to scrape down the sides of the bowl. The dough will be stiff.

Drop the dough by the tablespoonful about 1 inch apart onto the lined cookie sheet. Dip your index finger into the water and press down on the center of each drop of dough to flatten it. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until lightly browned around the edges. Remove from the oven and transfer the cookies with a metal spatula to a wire rack to cool. The cookies can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.

From LOUISIANA REAL & RUSTIC by Emeril Lagasse
Copyright 1996 By Emeril Lagasse
Permission by William Morrow & Company, Inc.
New York