Mrs. Porter's Improved Jumbles
This historic ring-shaped cookie has a crisp texture, with rich notes of butter and nutmeg, originating from an 1871 recipe.
Ingredients
all-purpose flour
2 1/4 cups
freshly grated nutmeg (or 3/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg)
1 teaspoon
salt
1/4 teaspoon
unsalted butter (slightly softened)
1 cup (2 sticks)
granulated sugar
2/3 cup
whole egg
1 large
egg yolk
1 large
granulated sugar or colored sugar (for shaping surface)
About 1/4 cup
Instructions
1
Prepare the dry ingredients
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease or spray a baking sheet with nonstick spray. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, nutmeg, and salt; set aside.
2
Cream the butter
In a large bowl, using an electric mixer on medium speed, beat the butter and sugar until light and well combined. Add the whole egg and egg yolk and beat until evenly blended. Stir or fold in the flour mixture until uniform; the dough will be a bit soft. If the dough is too soft to handle, let it rest for 10 minutes or until slightly firmer.
3
Shape the cookies
Sprinkle sugar or colored sugar on the work surface. With lightly oiled hands, scoop up a walnut-sized piece of dough (about a 1-inch ball). Roll it back and forth between your palms to form a uniform 2-inch log. Place the log on the work surface and continue rolling to about 5 inches long. Pinch the two ends together to form a ring. Place on the baking sheet, spacing about 1 1/2 inches apart. Sprinkle more sugar on the work surface as needed.
4
Bake
Bake one sheet at a time in the upper third of the oven for 10 to 14 minutes, until the tops are nearly firm and the edges are lightly browned. Rotate the sheet front to back once midway through baking. Transfer the sheet to a wire rack and let stand until the cookies firm up, about 5 minutes. Use a spatula to transfer the cookies to the wire rack and let cool completely.
