These are all 'slice and bakes', meaning they can be mixed up, shaped and put in the freezer for later baking.
FRENCH BUTTER COOKIES
These are melt in your mouth!
Makes about 5 dz.
½ lb unsalted butter
¾ cup sugar
1 large egg
1 tsp vanilla
2 ½ cups + 2T sifted AP flour
1 tsp salt
Decorating sugar or sanding sugar (I usually use red, green, and white or gold)
Combine butter and sugar in mixing bowl, and beat on medium speed til light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add egg and vanilla, and mix to combine. Add flour and salt, and mix on low til flour is incorporated.
Roll dough into two 1 ½ inch diameter logs; wrap in parchment paper, and chill at least 1 hour til firm, or freeze for later use.
Preheat oven to 350; line cookie sheets with parchment. Roll the logs in the sanding sugars (just do one color at a time, so you won’t intermix the colors). Slice into ¼ inch rounds. Bake 12-15 minutes, til golden brown, and cool on racks.
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LEMON SCENTED GINGER ALMOND CRISPS
Makes about 5 dz.
½ cup sliced almonds
1 ¾ cups AP flour
½ cup sugar
½ T. ground ginger
1 tsp. fine lemon zest
½ tsp baking soda
½ tsp cinnamon
1 stick unsalted butter, room temp
¼ cup molasses
½ tsp tsp lemon extract
½ tsp vanilla
2R minced crystallized ginger
Toast the almonds til golden in a 350 degree oven for 5-10 minutes. Transfer to a bowl to cool.
In mixing bowl, combine flour, sugar, ginger, zest, baking soda, and cinnamon. Add butter, molasses, extracts, and beat on med. Speed til combined. Reduce speed to low, and add in almonds and crystallized ginger.
On a piece of parchment paper, shape the dough into an 8 ½ x 3 inch rectangle, about 1 ½ inches thick. Wrap the parchment around the dough, then wrap in plastic.
Refrigerate at least 2 hours, or til firm, or freeze.
Preheat oven to 350; line cookie sheets with parchment.
Use a sharp knife, and make slices crosswise, 1/8 inch (yes!) thick or less, if you can. Place on baking sheets 1 inch apart. Bake til just beginning to darken around the edges, about 10 minutes. Transfer to wire racks to cool.
These are very thin, crispy cookies, reminiscent of the ‘Dutch Windmill’ cookies.
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PECAN SANDIES
These are melt-in-your mouth – you’ll never buy store-bought sandies again! This recipe is very easily doubled.
Makes about 5 dz.
2 sticks unsalted butter
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1 tsp vanilla
3 oz. ( 2/3 cup) pecans, finely ground
1 2/3 cups AP flour
Pinch of salt
Beat butter and sugar on med. Speed til light and creamy, about 3 minutes. Beat in vanilla. Mix the pecans with the flour and salt, and add to the butter mixture. Beat on low til just mixed, then on medium for about 1 minute – do not overbeat!
Refrigerate the dough for about an hour, til it’s able to he handled. Divide the dough in half and on a piece of parchment, roll into a log about 1 ½ inches in diameter. Wrap the parchment paper completely around the roll, and either refrigerate for 2 hours or freeze.
To bake, preheat oven to 350 and line cookie sheets with parchment. Unwrap, and slice the cookies ¼ inch thick. Place on baking sheets 1 inch apart. It’s important to keep this dough cold while you’re working with it. Return any unused portion to the fridge until you need to slice some more. Bake 15-20 minutes, til just light brown. Cool on racks.
Variations: After you make the rolls, place some Demarara sugar or white baking sugar on a piece of parchment, and coat the rolls with it. Then wrap the rolls in parchment as above. Or, after the cookies are done, sift some powdered sugar on top.
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BULL’S EYE COOKIES OR PINWHEEL COOKIES
Don’t let the steps to this recipe discourage you. Read the recipe through first, before you begin. These are great cookies, and look wonderful in an assortment; the chocolate is REALLY chocolate!
Makes about 7 dz.
2 lbs unsalted butter
1 tsp. vanilla
3 cups confectioner’s sugar
7 ½ cups AP flour
½ cup Dutch process cocoa
Place butter, vanilla, sugar, and flour in the bowl of an electric mixer and mix on med. Speed till well combined. Divide dough in half; leave half remaining in the mixing bowl. Add cocoa powder and mix til well combined. Shape both doughs into discs, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
FOR BULL’S EYE COOKIES –
Divide the chocolate dough into 2/3 and 1/3 pieces. Between parchment paper, roll out the larger piece into a rectangle ½ inch thick, and about 4 inches wide. Note: The first time I did this, it was easier to make two smaller rectangles, and two smaller rolls. Leave the parchment paper on both sides, and slide onto a cookie sheet and refrigerate.
Roll the smaller piece of chocolate dough into a log, about ¾ inch in diameter. Wrap in parchment, and refrigerate.
Repeat the same with the white dough.
After the doughs are chilled, leave the bottom parchment on the dough, and place the rectangle of chocolate dough on work surface; place a roll of white dough in the center. Wrap the rectangle around it, crimping at the edges. Using the bottom piece of parchment, roll the cylinder back and forth to smooth the seam and make a nice circle.
Repeat the above with the white rectangles and chocolate rolls.
You should have parchment paper completely covering the rolls, with some left on the ends; twist the ends tightly. To freeze, wrap the parchment covered dough in plastic wrap and freeze til needed. There’s no need to thaw the dough before cutting.
To bake, chill the dough for at least one hour, or til firm. Preheat oven to 375, and line cookie sheets with parchment paper. Remove parchment from logs, and slice in ¼ inch rounds. Place on baking sheets 2 inches apart. Bake 12-15 minutes, til the white dough is light golden. Cool on racks.
FOR PINWHEEL COOKIES:
Divide the two doughs into two equal pieces each. Roll each piece into a rectangle ½ inch thick. Start with a white dough on the bottom, and place a chocolate dough on top. Roll it up lengthwise with your fingers (like you would a sushi roll), making tight circles all the way to the end of the rectangle; crimp the edges to seal. Use the bottom piece of parchment paper to ‘tighten’ the circle, to make sure there are no air holes in the pinwheel. Repeat the same with the other two pieces of dough, this time starting with the chocolate dough on the bottom.
Freeze and bake as above.
