This time: mouse cookies.
Oh my stars they are the absolute cutest things in the entire world and they are actually pretty yummy. I made them for the Nutcracker cast party last night, and all of my friends loved them. Reid took forever to eat hers because she was too scared to mess it up.
They were actually pretty easy to make, but I think next time I make them they will come out better because I was kind of experimenting with techniques and stuff.
^ Marissa enjoying one of the mousie cookies.
^ Ella eating one of the cookies. You can't really see the cookie itself but gosh I love this girl, so I just had to put this picture up.
Mouse Cookies:
3 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp. salt
2 sticks butter
3/4 cup sugar
1 tsp almond extract
1 large eggs
1/4 cup sliced natural almonds
licorice rope
3 ounces semisweet chocolate, coarsely chopped*
* I just used chocolate chips and they worked fine.
1. Whisk to combine flour and salt in a bowl. In a separate bowl, beat butter with an electric mixer on medium high speed until creamy, about 2 minutes. Add sugar gradually, beating until mixture is pale and fluffy, about 3 minutes. beat in extract, then egg. Reduce speed to low, and add one-third flour mixture. Gradually add remaining flour mixture, beating just until blended. Halve dough and shape into disks; wrap each in plastic, and chill 2 hours or up to 1 day.
2. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Roll about 1 tablespoon of chilled dough between your palms to form 1 1/4 to 1 1/2 inch-long oval shapes. Slightly elongate one side to form face. Gently pinch bridge of nose to form eye sockets. With a pairing knife, make 2 small slits at top of each shape, for placement of ears. Place 2 sliced almonds into slits. Place shapes on parchment-lined baking sheets, spacing 2 inches apart.
3. Bake, rotating sheets halfway through, until cookies are light golden brown on bottom and around edges, and tips of ears are golden brown, about 20 minutes. Transfer sheets to wire racks, and immediately insert a wooden skewer* about 1/2 inch into mouse's round end. Remove skewer and insert curved length of licorice for tail. It should adhere to the still-warm cookie. Let cookies cool completely on wire racks.
4. Melt chocolate in a heatproof bowl set over (not in) a pan of simmering water. Turn off heat; keep chocolate warm until ready to use, stirring occasionally. Place melted chocolate in a parchment cone or resealable plastic bag with a tiny hole cut in one corner. Pipe chocolate in tiny dots to form eyes and nose. Chill until chocolate is set, about 20 minutes. Cookies can be stored in a single layer in an airtight container at room temperature up to one week.
*I found that using a chopstick worked better to get the licorice to fit.
I loved them. My friends loved them. Everyone loved them. I think it is safe to say that this is going on my top ten favorite things I've baked, and these might have to turn into a new holiday tradition.
Peace. Love. Mice.
