Author: story of a kitchen (from my previous sugar cookie making; bear cookie idea from the Japanese blog by Ma [see link in post above])))
Recipe type: Dessert
Serves: dozens
Ingredients
3 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon kosher salt
1 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 scant cup granulated sugar
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1 egg
1 to 2 pounds whole, raw almonds (I did not measure how much since I buy in bulk and use for so many other things.)
Instructions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Line cookie sheets with parchment paper or silicone mats.
In a medium bowl, mix flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
With a stand-up electric mixer, paddle attached, cream the butter, sugar, and cinnamon until fluffy. Mix in the egg. In three parts, add the flour mixture, mixing on low just until combined.
Divide dough into 3 to 4 parts and roll the each portion of dough to ⅜-inch thickness between two sheets of parchment with a rolling pin. There may be crumbly bits: that's okay. Knead dough briefly to incorporate. Place dough in these rolled out "sheets" in freezer briefly on a flat surface to stiffen. This will give the cookies sharper edges.
Cut out the bears with the cookie cutter and place on cookie sheet before adding almonds. If the dough is too stiff, the arms may break when trying to fold them around the nuts. As you work cutting, you can wait to add nuts as cut dough warms. Feel free to be creative: I changed the position of the bears' legs to make some look like they were dancing (maybe running off of a train?), gave some dancey arms and half-hugged almonds, as well as purposely made some bears with missing limbs. Because we aren't all two-armed and two-legged in this world.
Use a toothpick to dot on eye(s) and nose divots.
Bake about 12 minutes, or until ears and paws are golden. Cool on the pan for 2 minutes, then remove to a cooling rack to cool completely.
These are large enough cookies to give a hug to a friend during a casual coffee or tea break, but small enough s/he can't complain about screwing up a diet. Seriously, your flavored yogurt has more sugar than these do.
Recipe by story of a kitchen at https://www.storyofakitchen.com/dessert-recipes/nut-hugging-cinnamon-bear-cookies-recipe/