Tea:
1–2 sticks cinnamon
2 cups (480 ml) water
Cookie:
5–6 cups flour (700–750 gr)
1 ¼ cups sugar (250gr)
1 tbsp. ground cinnamon (7 gr)
1 ½ tsp. baking powder (6gr)
2 ¾ cup lard or shortening (560gr)
Topping:
1 ½ cups sugar (300 gr)
1 tbsp. ground cinnamon (7 gr)
Make the tea by combining the stick of cinnamon with the water, and boiling for approximately 4 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside.
Preheat the oven to 350°F (176°C) Combine the 5 cups of the flour, and the sugar, cinnamon, baking powder and shortening or lard in a large mixing bowl. Add 3/4 cup (180ml) of the cinnamon tea. Mix well using an electric mixer, until the dough is smooth. Use the extra cup of flour to hand knead into the dough if it is too sticky. The dough should have a smooth surface, but not be too firm. On a floured surface, roll the dough out to a ¼” thickness (64cm) and cut into 2” (5cm) wide shapes. Place the cookies on a parchment lined cookie sheet.
Bake for 10-12 minutes, until golden. While the cookies are baking, combine the sugar and ground cinnamon for the topping in a shallow bowl. Remove the cookies from the oven, allow to cool briefly, and roll the warm cookies through the sugar topping mixture. Set aside to cool completely. Roll again in the sugar mixture, if desired.
It’s difficult to make the exact amount of cinnamon tea needed for this recipe, and its a real hassle when you make too little. I always make a little extra so I have what I need. The rest can be added to another recipe, or perhaps you can add some to a hot tea or coffee beverage. On its own, cinnamon tea is nice with a bit of sugar and lemon.