Happy Holidays, friends! Here at Crowded Earth Kitchen we’ve been traveling, homeschooling, and collecting amazing recipes from around the world to share with you. Today’s gem is Biezpiena Cepumi, beautiful Latvian cookies that are delicious with coffee on cold winter days. These treats aren’t overly sweet; if you like lemon cookies or windmill cookies, give these a try. Biezpiena Cepumi are nut-free and egg-free, as well.
Ingredients (Makes 36 cookies)
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons butter, softened
1 1/2 cups cottage cheese (regular or low-fat, but not fat-free)
3 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
sugar for dipping (about 1/2 cup)
Directions
Step 1) Cream together butter and cottage cheese until well blended.
Step 2) Combine flour, baking powder, and salt. Add dry ingredients to butter mixture.
Step 3) Stir to incorporate all ingredients, then knead with hands for a minute or two until the dough is uniform. Cover and refrigerate for at least two hours or overnight.
Step 4) Roll dough fairly thin (less than 1/4 inch thick) on a lightly floured countertop and cut into circles (I used a 2 1/2 inch cookie cutter). Lay circles onto sugar, and fold in half with the sugar side in. Then lay each half circle onto sugar again, and fold in half again with the sugar side in (see photos). Finally, dip the top of each cookie in sugar and place on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
Step 5) Bake cookies in a preheated 350 degree oven for 20 minutes or until the tops of cookies are turning a light golden color. Gently place cookies on a wire rack to cool.
Shown above: Sights from Riga, Latvia and Jurmala, Latvia
Crowded Earth Kitchen 
Look awesome!