We call them cutout cookies. I've made many variations of the rolled butter cookie, & these are best. You couldn't make a richer cookie; they have almond paste & 4 egg yolks! Below is the recipe, from the Oct-Nov. 2010 Taste of Home magazine, p. 78. Here is a link to another site (Get off your butt and bake), where they also love the cookie.
Daria's best-ever sugar cookies
1/2 C. almond paste (4 oz. I had only 3 oz., & that was fine.)
4 egg yolks
2 C. butter, softened
1 3/4 C. sugar
1/2 tsp. salt
3 3/4 C. flour
Beat almond paste & egg yolks until crumbly. Add butter, sugar & salt. Beat until light & fluffy. Gradually add flour & mix well. Divide into four sections; shape each into a ball & flatten slightly. Wrap in wax paper & refrigerate for one or two hours or until easy to handle. (The dough will stiffen.)
On lightly floured surface, roll one portion of dough to 1/4 inch thick. Cut with floured 2 1/2 inch cookie cutter. Place 2 inches apart on baking sheet covered with baking parchment. Bake at 375° for 6-8 minutes or until edges begin to brown. Cool for two minutes before removing from pans to wire racks to cool completely.
When I made these yesterday I brought my seam gauge from the sewing room into the kitchen to measure precisely how thick the dough was. I discovered I like thinner cookies; they are crisper than 1/4". Whatever the thickness, these cookies do crisp up as they cool.
The Taste of Home recipe has an icing made with dried egg whites. It is fluffy & dries hard. Next time, though, I'll try a thin powdered sugar & water glaze to let more cookie taste come through. And I'll brush some with slightly beaten egg white & sprinkle sparkling sugar on top & skip the icing. That will be best, because these cookies are great tasting all alone.
Frosting
3 3/4 C. powdered sugar
3 T. egg white powder (I found it at Fresh Market.)
1/3 C. water
Optional
food coloring (red & green, of course)
sugar sprinkles
Beat sugar, egg white powder & water together until fluffy, about 5 minutes. Add food coloring, if desired.
Cool cookies first, then frost. Let frosting harden.
2 comments:
These look fantastic!!! Now I realize why you were going on and on about them... the ingredient list!!! 4 egg yolks and 2 cups of butter, wow weeeee!!!!
miss you!
xoxoxo,
Gretchen
p.s. mom says "hi"
They ARE the best. I had only 3 oz. almond paste, so it will be even more flavorful next time, when I follow the recipe exactly. Let me know what kind of icing you use, & how you like it.
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