Feast Day Cookies

The Pueblo Indians make these for kiva parties, Kachina or Corn Dances, weddings, the pueblo's Saint's Day, and field parties for planting or harvesting crops.

2/3 cup plus 1/4 cup granulated sugar
2/3 cup lard or vegetable shortening
1 egg
2 cups unbleached flour, sifted
4 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon aniseed
1/3 cup milk
1/2 cup pinons (pignoli), chopped
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Heat oven to 350 degrees F.

In a mixing bowl, cream 2/3 cup sugar and lard. Add egg and blend thoroughly. Stir in flour, baking powder, vanilla extract and aniseed, blending thoroughly. Gradually add milk until a stiff dough is formed. Mix in the pinon nuts.

Roll dough out on a lightly floured board to 1/2-inch thickness. Cut into 2-inch cookies with a cookie cutter. Sprinkle tops with mixture of the remaining sugar and cinnamon. Bake cookies on a well-greased baking sheet for about 15 minutes, or until golden. Cool on a rack.

Makes 2 dozen 2-inch cookies.