Bacon Fat Spice Cookies

these BACON FAT SPICE COOKIES are from...

"fat"

an appreciation of a misunderstood ingredient, with recipes   

by Jennifer McLagan

if you don't have this book BUY IT !...

if you've never heard of this book...PLEASE CHECK IT OUT.

it needs top billing on your holiday wish list...

this book deserves a spot on your shelves.  i don't know about you, but i just don't buy to many cook books anymore.  i seem to look up everything on the internet...sad, but true.  i really feel this one is worth the purchase and deserves it's place in the kitchen.

i DO believe FAT is a misunderstood ingredient.  i was afraid of it for years...then i saw the light.  PORK FAT RULES!...and 

everything IS better with butter...grandma wasn't messin' around.

these cookies are delicious AND they're a  really good conversation piece at a party.  mine turned out extra BACON-ie flavor with a real sweet savory punch.  my adventurous foodie friends really liked these alot and wanted the recipe, but i must say the powerful flavors scared a few people off...once again, i have to stop hanging around those "PANSY PALETTE PEOPLE".

right out of the oven these are crisp around the edges and a little soft in the center...even a few days later they were still delicious.  i reeeeeally enjoyed them and i think the maple icing helped the general population understand the cookie a little better.

BACON FAT SPICE COOKIES

 by Jennifer McLagan

1 1/4 cup flour

1/2 cup plus 1 Tbsp sugar

1 tsp sea salt

3/4 tsp cinnamon

3/4 tsp ground ginger

3/4 tsp ground cloves

1/2 cup bacon fat (from about 1 lb. bacon)

2 Tbsp molasses

1 egg

NOTE...i used fat from applewood smoked bacon and i thought it gave a REALLY bacon-ie good flavor...i mean reeeeally bacon-ie.

preheat oven to 350 degrees.  line 2 large baking sheets with parchment paper.

combine the flour, 1/2 cup sugar, salt and spices in a food processor and pulse to mix.  add BACON FAT, molasses, and egg and pulse until the mixture forms a soft dough.

take level Tbsp of the dough and roll into balls.  place the balls on the prepared baking sheets about 2 inches apart.  using a fork, flatten the balls slightly, and sprinkle them with the remaining Tbsp of sugar.

bake the cookies until they are beginning to brown around the edges, 10 - 12 minutes.  let the cookies cool slightly on the baking sheets and then transfer them to a wire rack.

store the cookies in an airtight container for up to 1 week.

NOTE...i also used a little swoosh of maple icing. 

1 cup powdered sugar

1 Tbsp milk or cream

2 tsp corn syrup

1/4 tsp maple extract

mix milk and sugar until smooth then add corn syrup and extract.  if it's too thick ad a little corn syrup at a time.  i put in a ziploc and cut the tip for quick and easy no-fuss icing jobs.