Buttered Rum Meltaways

This is the first of three types of cookies I'll be making to share with family this Christmas, though I may need to make another batch of these since they're so irresistable! The recipe is from Martha Stewart, and the pictures do not do these scrumptious cookies justice. It's times like these we need smell-o-vision to be a reality, since these cookies make your whole house smell like Christmas.

Flour, cornstarch, salt, and spices. 

Butter and confectioner's sugar.

Can't forget the rum! I had to have help from the liquor store clerk in picking this out. Glad he didn't let me go with the $15 bottle of Captain Morgan I was considering, since the cookies would have come out overspiced and I'd have nothing to do with the rest of the rum! 

The heavenly-scented cookie dough.

I forgot to take pictures of the dough in log form, but here it is after being partially frozen and cut into cookies. I thought they would spread for some reason, but you'll see in the next photo that they definitely don't.

Fresh from the oven. Cool for 10 minutes, then toss in a ziploc bag with the remaining confectioner's sugar.

Buttered Rum Meltaways (from Martha Stewart)


INGREDIENTS

Makes about 4 dozen.

• 1 3/4 cups plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 2 tablespoons cornstarch
• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 2 teaspoons freshly grated nutmeg
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
• 3/4 teaspoon coarse salt
• 3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter
• 1 cup confectioners' sugar
• 1/4 cup dark rum
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

DIRECTIONS

1. Whisk flour, cornstarch, spices, and salt in a bowl. Put butter and 1/3 cup sugar into the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Mix on medium speed until pale and fluffy. Mix in rum and vanilla. Reduce speed to low, and gradually mix in flour mixture.
2. Divide dough in half. Place each on a piece of parchment paper; shape dough into logs. Fold parchment over dough; using a ruler, roll and press into a 1 1/4-inch log. Wrap in parchment. Chill in freezer 30 minutes (up to 1 month).
3. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Unwrap logs. Cut into 1/4-inch-thick rounds; space 1 inch apart on parchment-lined baking sheets. Bake until just golden, about 15 minutes. Transfer cookies to wire racks; let cool 10 minutes. Gently toss warm cookies with remaining 2/3 cup sugar in a resealable plastic bag. Cookies can be refrigerated in airtight containers up to 2 weeks.