One thing you will always find at any German bakery are butter cookies. Kids love them, and Omas always have a stash for the kiddies. They are a great staple for sweet trays around the holidays too, and can be cut into any shape you like. They are definitely one of my guilty pleasures this time of year! 🙂
Difficulty: Moderate. Preparation Time: *See recipe. Portions: 3 + dozen.Ingredients:
- 6 c. flour
- 1 1/2 tbsp. ground cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp. salt
- 1 pound butter, softened
- 2 1/4 c. sugar
- 3 eggs, lightly beaten
- 1/2 c. fruity wine, such as Riesling
Preparation:
- Sift together flour, salt and cinnamon into a large bowl.
- Beat butter with electric mixer, while gradually adding 2 cups of sugar, and beat until light and fluffy.
- Beat in eggs, one at a time, then alternately beat in the dry ingredients and wine, about a third at a time. Dough will be very soft.
- Divide the dough into 5 equal parts, flatten, wrap in plastic, and refrigerate overnight.
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Roll out dough about 1/4 inch thick on a lightly floured surface. (Placing a piece of wax paper over the dough while rolling will help prevent sticking, without adding too much extra flour to the dough.)
- Cut with cookie cutters, transfer to greased cookie sheets. Scraps may be gathered, rechilled, and rolled one additional time.
- Brush cookies with lightly beaten egg, sprinkle with a little of the remaining sugar. Bake in batches until golden, about 20 minutes.
- Transfer cookies to a wire rack and cool completely. Decorate or glaze as desired. Cookies taste best after sitting for 1 week.