OJARASCAS OR CINNAMON CHRISTMAS COOKIES

A note from Teresa Villarreal : "I submitted to the 15 Annual Christmas Cooking Contest in 1995. The recipe was selected as "the First Place winner" in the ethnic category of the Christmas Cooking Contest. Making Ojarascas is a cherished tradition for five generations in our family. Submitting the Ojasasca recipe to the Austin Stateman Cooking Contest in 1995 was a special tribute to my 89 year-old mother. Mom died five years later knowing the family tradition of baking Oj arasca would "live-on" through her grandchildren and great-grandchildren. Today we realized our Bosquez-Villarreal family Ojarasca recipe is on an international recipe link enjoyed by many, many, people around the world. Please include the origin of this family favorite recipe."

FOR THE CINNAMON-SUGAR TOPPING:
8 cinnamon sticks
8 cups sugar
FOR THE CINNAMON TEA:
1 cup water
2 cups sugar
1 cinnamon stick
1 teaspoon vanilla
FOR THE COOKIES:
3 pounds solid vegetable shortening
5 pounds plus 3 cups flour
1 tablespoon baking powder

TO PREPARE THE CINNAMON-SUGAR TOPPING:
Use blender to grind 2 cinnamon sticks while adding 2 cups sugar gradually until both ingredients are completely blended together. Repeat this process 4 times to make 8 cups of the topping mixture. This step may be done days or weeks in advance and kept in an airtight container.

TO PREPARE THE CINNAMON TEA:
Make a hot tea of the water, 2 cups of sugar, 1 cinnamon stick and the vanilla. Mix the ingredients in a pan and heat to a boil. Set the tea aside to cool to room temperature.

TO PREPARE THE COOKIES:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease cookie sheets. Place cinnamon sugar topping mixture in a pan or tray; set aside.

Melt shortening in a container large enough to hold flour and cinnamon tea.

Add the cinnamon tea to the melted (but not hot) shortening. Then add the flour and baking powder. Mix the ingredients until the dough is blended and sticks together. Divide the dough into 6 or 8 balls of dough.

Remove 1 ball of dough. Set aside the remaining balls of dough and cover to keep warm while you roll out the first ball of dough about 1/4-inch thick. Use plastic wrap or waxed paper to roll out the dough and to prevent the dough from sticking to the rolling pin. Cut out cookies using simple cookie cutter shapes.

Bake the cookies on lightly greased cookie sheets for 10 to 15 minutes or until lightly browned.

Remove cookies from the oven and carefully transfer the cookies to the tray with the cinnamon-sugar topping mixture. Sprinkle more cinnamon-sugar topping over the warm cookies. When cooled, store cookies in an airtight container.

Source: Austin American-Statesman
Makes approximately 24 dozen cookies (recipe may be halved)