KNOTS COOKIES RECIPES

Steps:

• Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a bowl.
• Cream sugar, butter, and shortening together in a large bowl until light and fluffy. Add eggs. Beat in lemon extract. Add flour mixture gradually, beating well to combine. Wrap dough in waxed paper and refrigerate for 1 hour.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease 2 baking sheets.
• Place the dough on a lightly-floured surface. Break off golf ball-sized pieces of dough. Roll each piece into a rope about 7 inches long and 1/2 inch in diameter. Tie into a knot with one end poking up in the center. Place 1-inch apart on the prepared baking sheets.
• Bake in the preheated oven until lightly browned, 10 to 15 minutes.
• While cookies bake, combine confectioners' sugar, milk, and lemon extract in a bowl for icing until smooth.
• Transfer baked cookies to a wire rack to cool slightly, about 5 minutes. Spread icing evenly on top of the slightly warm cookies and add sprinkles.

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spread anise and caraway seeds in a single layer on a rimmed baking sheet. Toast until fragrant, 5 to 8 minutes. Let cool completely. Coarsely grind toasted seeds with a mortar and pestle, or in a spice grinder.
• In a medium bowl, whisk together ground seeds, flour, and salt. Set aside.
• In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat together butter and sugar on medium-high speed until well combined, 2 to 3 minutes. Add eggs, one at a time, beating to combine after each addition and scraping down sides of bowl as needed, then beat in vanilla. Continue beating until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Reduce speed to low and beat in flour mixture until just combined.
• Transfer dough to a floured surface and knead gently. Divide dough in half. Shape each half into a 1-inch-thick disk, wrap in plastic, and refrigerate overnight.
• To make knots, measure 1 heaping tablespoon of dough; roll into a ball. Transfer to a floured surface; roll into a rope about 12 inches in length and 3/8 inch in diameter. Shape rope into a trefoil design on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Gently press dough at ends and at each intersection to adhere. Measure 1 scant tablespoon of dough; roll into a ball. Transfer to a floured surface; roll into a rope about 8 inches in length and 3/8 inch in diameter. Form into a circle about 3 inches in diameter, pinching ends to form a ring. Center ring on top of trefoil design and gently press to adhere. Repeat with remaining dough (4 to 6 cookies per sheet). Freeze until firm, 25 to 30 minutes.
• Bake, rotating sheets halfway through, until lightly golden brown on edges, 15 minutes. Let cool on sheets 5 minutes, then transfer cookies to a wire rack and let cool completely. Cookies can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature up to 1 week. Dust with confectioners' sugar just before serving, if desired.