Soetkoekies ( Spicy Wine Cookies)

Yum! Spices, sugar & wine all together in a cookie. Soetkoekies are of Dutch origin and have been a favourite South African biscuit-tin filler for many years. Posted for ZWT 2006 - South African region. From: The Cookie Tin

• Ready In: 35 mins
• Yields: 36 cookies

Ingredients

• 2  cups flour
• 1⁄2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1⁄2 teaspoon cream of tartar
• 1  teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1⁄2 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1⁄2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1⁄4 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1  cup brown sugar
• 4  ounces  chopped  almonds
• 1⁄2 cup  chilled butter, cut into small pieces
• 2  eggs, lightly beaten
• 1⁄4 cup port wine or 1⁄4 cup sherry wine
• 1  egg white, beaten

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly spray or grease a cookie sheet.
2. Sift together the flour, baking soda, cream of tartar, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, ground cloves, brown sugar, and almonds in a large bowl.
3. Add the butter and cut into the flour mixture.
4. Add the beaten eggs and red wine and mix dough together until it can be formed into a ball.
5. Roll dough into walnut-sized balls and place on cookie sheets about 2" apart.
6. Brush each cookie gently with the egg white.
7. Bake for 12-15 minutes - until golden brown. Remove to a rack to cool completely.