BROWN SUGAR-GINGER COOKIES Serve these crisp, spicy cookies accompanied with hot tea for a festive end to an evening with friends. Substitute almonds, walnuts, or pecans for the hazelnuts, if you like. 1/2 cup hazelnuts 2 cups all-purpose flour 3/4 cup firmly packed golden brown sugar 2 1/4 teaspoons ground ginger 1 1/3 teaspoons ground cinnamon 1 teaspoon ground cloves 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/2 teaspoon baking soda 1/4 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature 1/4 cup solid vegetable shortening, at room temperature 1/4 cup light molasses 1 egg 1 tablespoon granulated sugar

Preheat an oven to 350°F. Spread the hazelnuts on a baking sheet and toast, stirring occasionally, until golden brown and the papery skins begin to pull away, about 10 minutes. While still warm, place in a kitchen towel. Rub the towel vigorously to remove the skins; do not worry if small bits of skin remain. Let the nuts cool, then place in a food processor. Pulse to chop finely (do not overprocess to a paste). Add 1/4 cup of the flour and 1/4 cup of the brown sugar and process to a powder; set aside.

In a bowl, sift together the remaining 1 3/4 cups flour, the ginger, cinnamon, cloves, salt, and baking soda; set aside. In a large bowl, combine the butter, shortening, and the remaining 1/2 cup brown sugar. Using an electric mixer set on high speed, beat until light and fluffy. Reduce the speed to low, add the flour mixture and the nut mixture, and beat just until incorporated. Gather into a ball, then divide in half. Form each half into a flat disk. Wrap separately in waxed paper and chill until firm, at least 1 hour or as long as overnight.

Preheat an oven to 350°F. Generously butter 2 baking sheets.

Flour 1 disk and place between 2 sheets of waxed paper. Roll out 1/4 inch thick. Remove the top sheet of waxed paper. Using a scalloped round cookie cutter 2 1/2 inches in diameter, cut out cookies. Transfer to the prepared baking sheets, spacing the cookies about 1/2 inch apart. Sprinkle with the granulated sugar. Gather up the scraps, pat into a disk, rewrap, and chill.

Bake until firm around the edges and brown on the bottoms, about 12 minutes. Transfer the cookies to racks to cool. Repeat with the remaining dough disk and dough scraps. Store the cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 weeks.

Makes about 3 dozen cookies.

[After Dinner, Williams-Sonoma Lifestyles Series]