Recipe: Pie Crust Cookies with Cinnamon Sugar

PIE CRUST COOKIES WITH CINNAMON SUGAR
Source: The Ultimate Cookie Cookbook by Barbara Grunes
Makes 30-40 cookies, depending on size and shape

For centuries, children have loved snacking on the 'cookies' baked from leftover scraps of pie pastry. This is a more formal version of those tantalizing scraps. It's easier, too - you don't have to make a pie.

2 cups all-purpose flour
3 tablespoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup cold vegetable shortening
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) cold unsalted butter, cut into bits
1 teaspoon lemon juice or cider vinegar
5 to 6 tablespoons ice water
3 tablespoons sugar mixed with 2 teaspoons cinnamon

Place flour, sugar, and salt in a mixing bowl or a food processor bowl. Mix thoroughly. Cut in shortening and butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Add lemon juice or vinegar and enough ice water to make a dough that just clings together. Cover dough with plastic wrap or foil and refrigerate for 30 minutes.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

Roll dough our on a lightly floured board or pastry cloth to 1/8-inch thick. Cut into desired shapes. Transfer to ungreased cookie sheets. Sprinkle with cinnamon sugar.

Bake in the center of the oven for 10 to 12 minutes, until golden. Remove to wire racks to cool.