Butter Cookie Recipes

From LoveToKnow Recipes

Add to recipe box Print Full Page Print 3x5 inch

Butter cookie recipes are wonderful to have during the holiday season. Bake a batch of butter cookies for your next party.

Butter Cookies Need Real Butter

When making butter cookies, the key is, of course, to use real butter. Like many cookies, butter cookies reach their creamy texture and flavor with butter, either the salted or unsalted variety, depending on what the ingredients for the recipe call for. Do not use margarine or any product that is not real butter.

Storing the Cookie Dough

You can make the dough for the butter cookie recipes and store it in the refrigerator for up to five days before using. If you wish to freeze the dough, be sure to seal it well. Wrap it in plastic at least twice, making sure the wrapping covers every inch of the dough. The dough can be kept in the freezer for a month. When ready to use frozen dough, let it thaw in the refrigerator until it is soft enough to be sliced with a knife.

Chilling the Dough

All butter cookie dough needs to be chilled for up to four hours. This is so that the dough can be handled easily for rolling or slicing into cookies before baking. When you prepare to make these cookies, allow for time to chill the dough.

Ingredients for Basic Butter Cookies

2 cups of all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon of baking powder
1/2 teaspoon of salt
1 1/2 sticks or 3/4 cup of unsalted butter, softened at room temperature
1 cup of sugar
1 egg
1 teaspoon of vanilla extract

Directions

In a small bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt.
In a large bowl, beat together butter and sugar. Beat with an electric mixture at medium speed for about three minutes, until fluffy.
Beat in egg and vanilla. Reduce speed to low, then add the flour mixture and stir until just combined.
Form dough into a 12-inch log (2 inches in diameter) on a sheet of plastic wrap and roll up dough in plastic wrap. Chill dough on a baking sheet until firm, at least 4 hours.
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
With a sharp knife, cut 1/8 to 1/4-inch-thick slices from log.
Place the slices on two ungreased large baking sheets, arranging slices about 1-inch apart
Bake cookies until edges are golden, 12 to 15 minutes.
Cool on sheets 3 minutes, then transfer with a metal spatula to racks.
Cool completely.
Make more cookies with remaining dough on cooled baking sheets.

Using real butter is what makes these cookies light and tasty.

Adding Sugar

White or colored sugar, the coarser the better, can be sprinkled on top of the cookies before baking.

Ingredients for Amaretto Butter Cookies

1 cup of butter, softened at room temperature
1 cup of sugar
1/4 teaspoon of salt
1 egg, separated
1 1/2 teaspoons of Amaretto (almond) liqueur
2 teaspoons of grated orange rind
2 cups of all-purpose flour
3/4 cup of sliced almonds

Directions

Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F.
Use a 10x15-inch jelly roll pan.
Combine the butter and sugar in a mixing bowl and beat until smooth.
Add the salt, egg yolk, Amaretto, and orange rind, and beat until blended.
Stir in the flour and blend thoroughly.
Spread and pat the dough evenly over the bottom of the ungreased jelly roll pan. This dough does not have to be chilled first.
Beat the egg white just until foamy.
Spread it evenly over the dough, then sprinkle the almonds over all.
Bake for about 45 minutes, or until lightly golden.
Remove from the oven and cut into about 2-inch squares while still warm.
Makes 42 cookies.

Enjoy

Butter cookie recipes can be varied by adding other flavorings to the dough. Instead of using Amaretto as in the recipe above, add 1 1/2 teaspoons of lemon extract for lemony butter cookies. You can also drizzle some chocolate on top of the cookies prior to baking.

Store the butter cookies in an airtight container, separating the cookies by layers of wax paper. Enjoy having these on hand to serve to your guests.

Retrieved from "http://recipes.lovetoknow.com/wiki/Butter_Cookie_Recipes"