montecados (spanish cookies)

Ingredients

• Servings: 6
• 2 1/3 cups melted shortening
• 5 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 ounce anise extract
• 1 1/4 cups white sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 72 blanched almonds

Recipe

• preheat the oven to 250 degrees f(120 degrees c).
• combine the flour, sugar and cinnamon together. add the melted shortening until all is mixed in well. stir in the anise and knead for 5 minutes. roll into 1 inch balls and place on an ungreased cookie sheet 2 inches apart. place a blanched almond on top of each cookie and push down slightly.
• bake at 250 degrees f (120 degrees c) for 30 minutes. you do no want to brown the cookies. they should remain pale. let cookies cool on cookie sheet for 30 minutes.