So we are nearing Christmas and it wouldn’t be complete with butter Cookies. For many Guyanese homes, that round blue tin filled with melt-in-your-mouth cookies in an array of shapes was and still is a staple part of Christmas tradition. Many of us kept the tin to later bake cakes so we didn’t have to buy cake pans. Whether or not that is safe to do, I have no idea but it was done and I am sure it is still a common occurrence.
My favorite cookie one was the swirled ones followed by the one that I think has coconut in it. When I was a kid I would keep the little paper cups and play with them.
Fast forward and I am 35 and baking my own butter cookies every year. Not that I am knocking the store-bought ones but there is a sort of joy in the process of making your own. Maybe it makes me feel like I am putting a grown-up spin on my childhood memory. Who knows?
Anyways enough chitter-chatter. Let get into this recipe.
BUTTER COOKIES
Butter cookies get their delicate texture from the large quantity of butter that is used when making them. They typically don’t have much of a flavor on their own but extracts like almond or vanilla are commonly used to add that much-needed flavor. They are so easy to make that you can enjoy them year-round. I love dipping them in chocolate and topping them with nuts or sprinkles.
Ingredients and Substitutions:
Butter – This is what it’s all about; the BUTTER. It is important to use good quality unsalted butter with low water content. Since all brands of butter do not contain the same amount of salt, using unsalted butter allows you to control the salt in the recipe and will yield consistent results every time. I like to use Kerrygold Irish Unsalted Butter because it also has a great creamy taste. Don’t skimp here. This is the key ingredient. Now, if all you have is salted butter, it’s not the end of the world. Go ahead and use it. It will be fine. But make sure the quality of butter is there.
Caster Sugar – Okay! So I have seen a lot of recipes call for powdered sugar. I am not a fan of using powdered sugar here but we do want to use a sugar that has finer granules than granulated sugar. That’s where caster sugar comes in. You can certainly use granulated sugar but I like to make sure that the cookies have a smooth texture. Caster sugar is hard to find in grocery stores here in Texas but I got it on amazon and it is a bit pricey. You can always make your own by pulsing granulated sugar in the food processer until it is nice and fine.
Egg Yolks – Anytime a recipe calls for eggs and does not specify what type or size, you are going to use large white eggs at room temperature. The egg yolks will bind the cookies and help to hold them all together.
Flour – This is regular all-purpose flour. With a recipe like this, it will be important to measure the flour accurately. Too much flour will make the dough too stiff and too little flour will cause the cookies to melt into goop in the oven. You may not use all the flour called for in the recipe or you may use a smidge more. So use your baking experience here.
Heavy Cream – This adds a little moisture and helps to achieve the perfect texture in my opinion.
Almond Extract – By themselves, these cookies don’t have much flavor. It will mostly be the flavor of the butter that you will taste. A little almond extract will give the “oomph” that is needed to make these cookies irresistible. While my favorite flavor to add is almond, you can use vanilla as well. You can also add spices like cardamom to really change it up. Here is where you get to express yourself.
Salt – if used salted butter then I would not add any salt but if you did indeed use unsalted butter as called for then a little salt will balance the sweetness and make everything more palatable.
Butter Cookies
Ingredients
Instructions
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Preheat oven to 350F degrees and line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.
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Cream together butter and sugar with a mixer, until light and fluffy.
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Add egg, salt, almond extract, and heavy cream and combine until fully incorporated.
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Incorporate flour a little at a time until a cookie dough is formed. You want the dough to be soft but not sticky (Keep in mind you may not use all of the flour).
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Roll into a log and cut in cookie rounds or use a cookie press to create fun shapes.
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Place on a lined cookie sheet and bake for 10-14 minutes or until the bottoms of the cookies start to become golden.
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Allow the cookies to completely cool on a wire rack before eating.
Note
- Store in an air-tight container for 5-7 days or refrigerate for up to 1 month.
- You can eat as is or decorate by dipping in chocolate or candy melts and adding sprinkles or other toppings.
