As much as I love making everything homemade, there are a few packaged goods that I can't resist. You know those butter cookies that come in the blue tins and are especially popular around the holidays? Those are one of them. I have fond memories of eating them growing up and every now and then they make an appearance at my office at work and I just can't help myself from eating one (or a few!).
So you can imagine how happy I was when I made these cookies and they tasted just like those from the tin-only better! I knew they would be amazing as my house filled up with a wonderful buttery aroma while they were baking-and after one bite I was sold!This is one of my new favorite holiday (or year-round) cookie recipes-they were just amazing!
These cookies are also the last treats in the 12 Weeks of Christmas Blog Hop hosted by Meal Planning Magic. There are still a few weeks left to get your baking done, so be sure look back and see all the goodies that have been shared!
French Butter Cookies
1 large egg
10 tablespoons (1 1/4 sticks) butter, softened
1/3 cup plus 1 tablespoon (2 3/4 oz) granulated sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 large egg white, lightly beaten with 1 teaspoon water
4 teaspoons turbinado sugar
Put the egg in small saucepan, cover with 1 inch of water, and bring to boil over high heat. Meanwhile, fill small bowl with ice water and set aside. Once water is boiling, remove pan from heat, cover, and let sit 10 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer egg to ice water and let stand 5 minutes. Once egg is cooled, peel it and separate yoke from white and discard the white. Press yolk through a fine mesh strainer into a small bowl.
In a bowl of stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat butter, granulated sugar, salt and cooked egg yolk on medium speed until light and fluffy-about 4 minutes, scraping down the side of the bowl as needed. Turn mixer to low, add vanilla and mix until incorporated. Stop mixer, add flour and mix on low until just combined, about 30 seconds. Using a rubber spatula, press dough into a cohesive mass.
Divide dough in half; roll each piece into a log about 6“ long and 1 3/4” in diameter. Wrap each log in a 12" square of parchment paper and twist ends to seal and firmly compact dough into tight cylinder. Chill in the freezer until firm, about 1 hour.
Heat oven to 350 degrees. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. Slice dough into 1/4“ thick rounds, rotating dough after a few slices so it doesn't become misshapen from the knife. Place cookies 1” apart on baking sheets. Using pastry brush, gently brush each cookie with egg white mixture and sprinkle with turbinado sugar.
Bake until centers of cookies are pale golden brown and edges are slightly darker than the center, about 15 minutes. Rotate cookie sheets front to back and top to bottom half way during cooking time. Cool cookies on baking sheet for 5 minutes then transfer to a wire rack to cool to room temperature. Store cookies between sheets of parchment in an air tight container for up to one week.
Source: Cooks Illustrated
1 large egg
10 tablespoons (1 1/4 sticks) butter, softened
1/3 cup plus 1 tablespoon (2 3/4 oz) granulated sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 large egg white, lightly beaten with 1 teaspoon water
4 teaspoons turbinado sugar
Put the egg in small saucepan, cover with 1 inch of water, and bring to boil over high heat. Meanwhile, fill small bowl with ice water and set aside. Once water is boiling, remove pan from heat, cover, and let sit 10 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer egg to ice water and let stand 5 minutes. Once egg is cooled, peel it and separate yoke from white and discard the white. Press yolk through a fine mesh strainer into a small bowl.
In a bowl of stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat butter, granulated sugar, salt and cooked egg yolk on medium speed until light and fluffy-about 4 minutes, scraping down the side of the bowl as needed. Turn mixer to low, add vanilla and mix until incorporated. Stop mixer, add flour and mix on low until just combined, about 30 seconds. Using a rubber spatula, press dough into a cohesive mass.
Divide dough in half; roll each piece into a log about 6“ long and 1 3/4” in diameter. Wrap each log in a 12" square of parchment paper and twist ends to seal and firmly compact dough into tight cylinder. Chill in the freezer until firm, about 1 hour.
Heat oven to 350 degrees. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. Slice dough into 1/4“ thick rounds, rotating dough after a few slices so it doesn't become misshapen from the knife. Place cookies 1” apart on baking sheets. Using pastry brush, gently brush each cookie with egg white mixture and sprinkle with turbinado sugar.
Bake until centers of cookies are pale golden brown and edges are slightly darker than the center, about 15 minutes. Rotate cookie sheets front to back and top to bottom half way during cooking time. Cool cookies on baking sheet for 5 minutes then transfer to a wire rack to cool to room temperature. Store cookies between sheets of parchment in an air tight container for up to one week.
Source: Cooks Illustrated
Oh man - I can't even begin to tell you how many of these cookies I have eaten in my childhood. I'm so excited that you found a recipe to not only recreate those cookies, but made them better! I'll need to try this soon. Thanks, Dawn!
ReplyDeleteThese look lovely and golden. Those blue tins have a special place in my heart too. I bet yours are even more delish!
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