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Butter Cookies Recipe
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Butter Cookies may be a
little plain looking, but with just one bite, you will be hooked. They have
such wonderfully
crisp edges that make them perfect to nibble on. And their flavor is sweet and
buttery, with just a hint of vanilla, that make them ideal for serving
alongside a bowl of sorbet or a
fruit salad. The best way to describe a Butter Cookie
is to say they are a cross between a shortbread and a sugar cookie and
while delicious plain, you can dress them up with a soft and buttery confectioners
frosting made with butter, shortening, confectioners (powdered or icing)
sugar and a little milk. This dough is very versatile. Although I like to
form the batter into a log so I can slice off cookies to bake on demand, this
dough can also be rolled out and cut into fun shapes. They would also make
a good sandwich cookie, with a jam or ganache
filling.
Butter is the focus in these cookies and when buying
butter there are many choices in both type and quality. The American-style
butters are usually sold in one pound (454 grams) cartons, that contain
four individually wrapped quarter pound (113 grams) sticks. This type of
butter has about 80 percent butterfat, 18 percent water, and 2 percent
milk. It is graded by letter code, and sometimes a numerical number,
according to flavor, color, texture, aroma and body. AA (93 score), A (92
score), and B (90 score) are the letter codes and numerical scores used.
For the best tasting cookie use a AA butter and I like to use unsalted
rather than salted. Unsalted butter does not contains salt so its pure
sweet buttery flavor shines through. Salted butter contains salt which can
overpower the sweet flavor of the butter and can also mask odors. Also, the
amount of salt added to salted butter can vary from manufacturer to
manufacturer. So if you use salted butter in this recipe, omit the salt.
Besides American-style butters, there is another choice, and that is
European-style butters. They are my favorite as I prefer their flavor and
texture. That is because this type of butter contains a higher percentage
of butterfat, about 86 percent butterfat as opposed to 80 percent in
American butters. Unfortunately, they do tend to have a higher price tag
so if you are using this type of butter save it for recipes like this,
where the flavor of the butter takes center stage. |
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Butter
Cookies:
In the bowl of your electric mixer, or with a hand
mixer, cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the egg,
lemon zest, and vanilla extract.
In a separate bowl,
whisk together the flour and salt. Gradually add the flour mixture to the creamed mixture and beat
just until incorporated. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed. Divide
the dough in half and shape each half into a log (round or square) that is about
1 1/2 inches (4 cm) in diameter. Wrap each log in plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator until firm (at least two hours
or overnight). Once the log is firm, with a sharp knife, slice cookies about 1/4
inch (.5 cm) thick. (Can also
place the logs in the freezer for up to two months. You can then make cookies on
demand by removing log from freezer and slicing off as many cookies as you like.
Return the log to the freezer.)
Preheat
oven to 350 degrees F (177 degrees C).
Place oven rack in the center of the oven. Line
a baking
sheet with parchment paper.
Place the cookies
on the baking sheet, spacing about 2 inches (5 cm) apart. Sprinkle a little
granulated white sugar on each cookie before baking. Bake the cookies for about
10 minutes, or until the edges of the cookies are golden brown. Remove from oven
and place on a wire rack to cool. Can frost with Confectioners Frosting.
Frosting:
In the bowl of your electric mixer, or with a hand
mixer, cream the butter and shortening until smooth and well
blended. Beat in the vanilla extract. With the mixer on low speed, gradually
beat in the sugar. Scrape down the sides of the bowl. Add the milk and
beat on high speed until frosting is light and fluffy (about 3-4 minutes). Add
more milk or sugar, if needed, until you have the right spreading consistency.
Tint portions of
frosting with desired food color (I use the paste food coloring that is
available at cake decorating stores and party stores).
Makes about 48
cookies.
Source:
Green, Aliza.
Starting with Ingredients Baking. Running Press Book Publishers.
Philadelphia. 2008.
Scherber, Amy and
Dupree, Toy Kim. The Sweeter Side of Amy's Bread. John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
New York: 2008.
Waters, Alice.
The Art of Simple Food. Clarkson Potter/Publishers. New York: 2007.
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Butter Cookies:
1 cup (226 grams) unsalted
butter, room temperature
2/3 cup (135 grams)
granulated white sugar
1 large egg
1 teaspoon lemon or orange zest
(outer rind of a lemon or orange) (optional)
1 teaspoon pure
vanilla extract
2 1/4 cups (295 grams) all purpose
flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
Confectioners Frosting:
(optional)
1/4 cup (57 grams)
unsalted butter, room temperature
1/4 cup (57 grams)
shortening
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla
extract
2 cups (230 grams)
confectioners (powdered or icing) sugar, sifted
1 - 2 tablespoons milk
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