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Mulled Wine Poached Pear Cut-Outs

Kristin B.

The 2nd Place spot for the 2022 Holiday Cookie Recipe Contest goes to this creative cut-out. From the warming spices in the cookie dough to the mulled wine glaze and spiced sugar garnish, these cookies bring on the holiday cheer, and it’s all thanks to winner Kristin B.!
2 hr Prep Time
1 hr 13 min Cook Time
  • Prep Time: 2 hr
  • Cook Time: 1 hr 13 min

Ingredients

  • Mulled Wine Reduction

  • 1 1/2 cups red wine
  • 1 medium orange
  • 2 cinnamon sticks
  • 4-5 whole cloves
  • 2 tablespoons honey

  • Spiced Cookies

  • 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1/2 cup granulated sugar
  • 1/2 cup confectioner’s sugar
  • 2 teaspoons cinnamon
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons ginger
  • 1/2 teaspoon allspice
  • 1/2 teaspoon cloves
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup salted butter, room temperature
  • 2 oz cream cheese, room temperature
  • 1 tablespoon freshly grated orange zest
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 24 mini pretzel sticks, broken up into 1-in pieces

  • Mulled Wine Glaze

  • 1/3 cup red wine reduction (from above)
  • 1 ½ to 2 cups confectioner’s sugar
  • 1/4 cup salted butter, melted
  • 1/8 teaspoon salt

  • Spiced Sugar Garnish

  • 1/4 cup granulated sugar
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
  • 1/8 teaspoon nutmeg
  • 1/8 teaspoon cardamom

Instructions

Mulled Wine Reduction

Step 1

Pour wine into a medium saucepan. Cut orange in half and gently squeeze juice into saucepan. Place orange halves in pot. Add remaining ingredients and bring to a boil over high heat.

Step 2

Reduce heat to medium and allow to simmer for 45-60 minutes or until liquid has reduced to about 1/2 cup.

Step 3

Strain out solids and set aside to cool completely.

Spiced Cookies

Step 4

Mix flour, sugars, cinnamon, ginger, allspice, cloves, and salt in a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment on low speed until combined. Add butter, 1 tablespoon at a time, and mix until dough looks moist and crumbly, 1-2 minutes. Add cream cheese, orange zest, and vanilla and beat just until dough starts to form.

Step 5

Transfer dough to counter; knead just enough to bring dough together, then divide dough in half. Roll out each half to 1/8-in thickness between two sheets of parchment paper.

Step 6

Transfer dough sheets to refrigerator to chill for 30 minutes.

Step 7

Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. Remove chilled dough from fridge and use a pear-shaped cookie cutter to stamp out pieces of dough and place on lined baking sheets. Reroll scraps between sheets of parchment and stamp out more. Push one pretzel piece into the top of each pear.

Step 8

Return baking sheets to refrigerator to chill for 15 more minutes.

Step 9

Heat oven to 375˚F. Transfer baking sheets to oven and bake for 11-13 minutes or until edges are golden brown.

Step 10

Allow cookies to cool completely on the tray.

Mulled Wine Glaze

Step 11

In a medium bowl, whisk together 1/3 cup wine reduction, 1 cup confectioner’s sugar, melted butter, and salt until smooth and no lumps remain, adding confectioner’s sugar as necessary.

Step 12

Spoon icing onto top of each cookie. Using the back of a spoon, smooth icing gently and evenly over surface. Repeat with all cookies. Let cookies dry for 10 minutes.

Spiced Sugar Garnish

Step 13

Whisk together spiced sugar ingredients until evenly combined.

Step 14

Dip the bottom half of each iced cookie very gently into spiced sugar. Return dipped cookies to tray and allow to fully set before serving.