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Christine Nguyen; Ashley Martinez; Gurminder Sandhu; Meghana Narra

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Polvorones con Canela (Cuban Cinnamon Sugar Cookies)

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1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter at room temperature or
1/2 cup butter and 1/2 cup shortening
1-1/2 cups sifted powdered sugar
1 Tbsp vanilla extract or brandy
2 cups flour
1/4 tsp sea salt
2/3 cup finely ground pecans or walnuts
1 tsp ground cinnamon (cassia)

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Beat the butter in a bowl with an electric beater until creamy. Add the 1/2 cup of powdered sugar and vanilla, and continue beating until light and fluffy. Mix in the flour and salt very gradually, a tablespoon at a time, until thoroughly incorporated. Add the nuts with the last of the flour. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and chill thoroughly. Using your hands, form the dough into 3/4" balls. Place on an ungreased baking pan about 1 inch apart.

Bake in a moderate oven about 15 minutes, or until the edges turn pale gold. Place the remaining cup of sugar in a shallow bowl or plate with the cinnamon.
Remove the cookies from the oven and, while still hot, carefully roll each in the powdered sugar mixture. Set aside until cooled completely and roll them again in the sugar, shaking off any excess.

The cookies can be eaten fresh or stored between layers of wax paper in an airtight tin for several weeks, (although by then the powdered sugar tends to get absorbed into the cookies).  They also freeze well in airtight plastic bags.