Old Fashioned Butter Cookies

"These are not the common butter cookies you are so used to seeing. This is an old German recipe given to me by my Aunt. I have been making these since I was married 31 years ago. They are rolled very thin, almost like a wafer than a cookie. The 6 egg yolks give it the richness that other butter cookies lack. I always look through websites and cookbooks to see if anyone else has a butter cookie recipe like this - I have not found one yet. I only updated the method to use a food processor instead of creaming the butter by hand. These are truly delicious and special."
 
Download
photo by Joanne117 photo by Joanne117
photo by Joanne117
photo by Joanne117 photo by Joanne117
Ready In:
1hr 15mins
Ingredients:
8
Yields:
7 dozen
Serves:
6
Advertisement

ingredients

Advertisement

directions

  • Sift dry ingredients together. Place in food processor and process a few seconds to mix. Cut each stick of butter into 8 pieces and place in food processor. Process 20 to 30 seconds until butter is cut in evenly. Add egg yolks and vanilla and process until mixture forms a ball. Remove, divide into 4 equal balls, flatten each and cover with plastic wrap. Refrigerate overnight.
  • Preheat over to 375 degrees. Cut aluminum foil to fit approximately 4 cookie sheets. Using a well floured pastry cloth and rolling pin cover, roll 1 section of dough, leaving the rest refrigerated until needed. Roll evenly approximately 1/8" thick (or actually 1/8" thin). Using small size cookies cutters, cut cookies (they should remain in the cutter, then tap out on to the foil lined cookie sheets). Place cookies 1/2 inch apart. Sprinkle with sugar crystals. (Easier to do one whole sheet red, next sheet green). Reroll scraps and roll out, trying to handle dough as little as possible. Don't reroll dough a third time, use another refrigerated section of dough. Bake approximately 8 minutes, one sheet at a time. Cookies should be slightly golden, remove quickly as once they start to brown, they could burn fast. Immediately slide foil off cookie sheet and leave cookies on foil to cool. Repeat with remaining dough. Store in a wax paper lined, cookie tin. Cookies reach their taste potential after a day and will stay fresh in a cookie tin approximatelly 3 weeks. Actual yield is based on the size cookie cutter used. I use a very small size, approximately 1 1/2 " across.

Questions & Replies

Got a question? Share it with the community!
Advertisement

Reviews

  1. These are similiar to the sugar cookies that my Norwegian grandmother used to make. It is hard to find a recipe that will produce paper thin sugar cookies. We frosted them with a shiny glaze and sprinkles. Everyone loves these cookies! This will go into my Best of Zaar so Far recipe book. Thanks, KCShell
     
Advertisement

RECIPE SUBMITTED BY

I live in Long Island, New York with my husband of 31 years, my son, daughter and 8 year old granddaugher. I love animals, have two dogs and a cat. I love to cook and bake. I love photography/computers and have been trying to start my own business creating slideshows from photographs. I work full time as an Executive Assistant.
 
View Full Profile
Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement

Find More Recipes