Nutmeg Cookie Logs

This has become a traditional cookie in my house. In my opinion, the nutmeg makes the cookie. Without it, there isn't much flavor, just a hint of rum in the icing. Every year, after making them, I swear I won't do it again. But every one loves them, so I continue to make them. This year, my boyfriend's niece, who is extremely picky about which cookies she'll eat, declared these were her favorite. Enough said. I will be making them again next year.

Warning: This is a refrigerator cookie, so it will take a while.

What you need:

For the cookie:
3/4 cup of sugar
1 cup of margarine (butter will work, margarine is cheaper)
2 tsp. vanilla
2 tsp. rum extract (don't use real rum here)
1 egg
3 cups of flour
1 tsp. nutmeg

For the frosting:
2 cups of powdered sugar
2 Tbl. or margarine
3/4 tsp. of rum extract
1/2 tsp. vanilla
2 to 3 Tbl. milk
nutmeg

What to do:
From the cookie ingredient list, combine the sugar, margarine, vanilla, rum extract and egg in a large bowl. Beat until it's light and fluffy. You can do this by hand, but I recommend using an electric mixer. Add the nutmeg. Mix some more. Slowly add in the flour. I usually do this a 1/2 cup at a time. Mix it well. When you're done, cover the bowl (a lid to the bowl you're using for the eco-conscience, plastic wrap for the non-eco-conscience).

Refridgerate it for at least 45 minutes. I usually leave it in longer while I make other cookies, run some errands or watch something on TV. This is your 45 minutes, do with it what you will.

When you're ready, heat the oven to 350' F. Divide the dough into 12 pieces. I use a butter knife and divide in the bowl, taking it out in chunks. You can do this or take it out of the bowl, create a rectangle, and slice it that way. Your choice.

On a floured surface (cutting board or counter top), roll the dough out into a long rope. If your hands stick to the dough, stick them in the flour tin and then resume rolling out the dough. The directions say to roll it out to a 1/2 inch diameter about 15 inches long. More than not, my rope doesn't make it to 15 inches. My advice is to roll it out evenly and when your eyeballs say it's a 1/2 inch thick, you're done. In the end, no one will no and it will taste the same. Cut the pieces into 3-inch lengths, more or less, depending on how long your rope is. They don't spread very much while baking, so place as many as you can on a cookie sheet (stoneware is the best! but use an ungreased one if you don't have stoneware) about  a 1/2 inch apart.

Bake them for 12-15 minutes. When the edges are starting to turn a light golden brown, they're done. Take them off the baking sheet immediately and let them cool on a wire rack.

When the last batch is in, start making the frosting. In a bowl, combine all the frosting ingredients except the milk and nutmeg. Add the milk a tablespoon at a time until you get a nice consistency. The less milk you use, the thicker the frosting (too thick and it will be too hard to spread), the more milk you use, the thinner the frosting will be (too thin and it will become a glaze instead). Once you have your desired consistency, add the nutmeg, mix well, then start spreading it on the top of the cookies. If you can, lay another wire rack over the sink and place the frosted cookie on it. Put as many as you can on it, then sprinkle nutmeg over them. Remove them from the rack to dry, either on the first wiire rack or some paper towels. (This saves time in the clean-up deapartment and I'm all about that.) Repeat until you are finished.

It will make 5 dozen cookies, more or less, and your nutmeg fans will adore you.

(Adapted from Pillsbury Holiday Cookies and Candies, Nov. 2001)