Native American Feast Day Cookies

Ingredients

• 2/3 cup sugar, plus
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 2/3 cup lard or vegetable shortening
• 1 egg
• 2 cups unbleached flour, sifted
• 4 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 teaspoon anise seed
• 1/3 cup milk
• 1/2 cup pine nuts, chopped
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Directions

1. 1

   Preheat your oven to 350º F.

2. 2

   In a mixing bowl, cream 2/3 cup of sugar and lard.

3. 3

   Add egg and blend thoroughly.

4. 4

   Stir in the flour, baking powder, vanilla, and anise seed, blending thoroughly.

5. 5

   Gradually add milk until a stiff dough is formed.

6. 6

   Mix in the pinon nuts.

7. 7

   Roll the dough out on a lightly floured board to 1/2 inch thickness.

8. 8

   Cut into 2 inch cookies with a cookie cutter.

9. 9

   Sprinkle the tops with mixture of the remaining sugar and cinnamon.

10. 10

    Bake the cookies on a well greased baking sheet for about 15 minutes or until golden.

11. 11

    Cool on a rack.

12. 12

    Makes 2 dozen two inch cookies.