Garlic Butter Cookies

Life is still getting away from me in a mad scramble, but still try to make rounds when I can.  Today I had reason to look up the Gilroy Garlic festival and found this winning recipe for a cookie/savory that sounds spectacular if you like flavors that bite back.

Andrew Barth of Winnetka, CA won this category of the 2009 Gilroy Garlic Festival. Since I love both garlic and feta, the recipe immediately went in to the box to try soon.

How to make Spicy Garlic Butter Cookies with Garlic Goat Cheese and Honey:

Makes 20-25 cookies

Ingredients:

Cookies:

1 cup all-purpose flour (unbleached preferred)
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
3/4 tsp baking powder
1 stick plus 3 tbsp unsalted butter, softened
3/4 cup sugar
5 cloves roasted garlic

Topping

3 ounces goat cheese, softened
3 cloves roasted garlic
Honey
Hungarian paprika

Method of Preparation:

Whisk together flour, baking powder, salt and cayenne pepper in a small bowl.

Beat together butter and sugar in a large bowl until pale and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add the cloves of roasted garlic and beat for another minute or until cloves are incorporated. Reduce speed to low and add flour mixture. Mix until just combined. Form dough into an 8″ to 10″ log (approximately 2″ diameter) and wrap it in plastic wrap. Chill dough until firm.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Cut log into 1/8″ to 1/4" slices and fill ungreased large baking sheet(s), arranging slices about 1″ apart.

Bake cookies until the edges are golden, approximately 12 minutes. When pulled from heat, immediately indent center of each cookie with the back of a spoon. Cool on the sheets then transfer to wire racks to completely cool.

Meanwhile, combine softened goat cheese and 3 cloves of roasted garlic in a small bowl, combining well.

Once cookies have cooled completely, add a good-sized dollop of garlic goat cheese mixture in the center of each cookie. Drizzle some honey over each, add a dash of Hungarian paprika and serve.