Instructions: Spicy holiday cookies made with a rolling pin or wooden molds.

NOTE: When unsifted flour is called for, fluff up the flour in the sack or container with a fork before measuring.

Preheat oven to 350

Combine flour, cinnamon, cardamom, nutmeg, cloves, mace and salt onto wax paper.

Beat butter with sugar in a large bowl until light and fluffy; beat in egg and lemon rind. Stir in flour mixture, blending well.

Roll out dough, one half at a time, on a lightly floured surface to a 1/4-inch thickness. Use a floured speculatius or springerle rolling pin

(see note #2 below) and roll over dough only once, pressing designs into dough to an 1/8 inch thickness. Cut cookies apart on dividing lines. Place cookies, 1 inch apart, on ungreased cookie sheets. Repeat with remaining dough.

Bake in a 350 oven for 15 minutes or until cookies are a light golden brown.

Remove from cookie sheets to wire racks; cool completely.

NOTE 2: Instead of speculatius rolling pin, you can use speculatius wooden molds which make larger cookies so the yield will be less.

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