Cookies - Butter Cut Out & Variations -CI- (can be made vegan)

By mariannefeldman

Cooks Illustrated Nov/Dec 2003
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Glazed Butter Cookies
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Variations included:
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Jelly filled sandwiches
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Chocolate cherry bar cookies w/hazelnuts
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Citrus glazed coconut snowballs
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See website for additional variations:
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Cranberry Cookies with Ginger Glaze
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Maple-Pecan Swirls

Ingredients

• Glaze:
• 2 1/2 cups flour (12 1/2 oz)
• 3/4 cup superfine sugar (5 1/2 oz) (process regular sugar in blender 20 seconds)
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 2 sticks unsalted butter, cut into 1/2"slices, at cool room temp (65 degrees)(16 tbs Organic/Vegan Smart Balance for Vegan = 6.6 oz)- cookies a bit greasy-try less Smart Balance
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• & 1 tsp almond extract, opt, or flavor of choice
• 2 tablespoons cream cheese (or Tofutti cc), room temp
• 1 tablespoon cream cheese (or Tofutti cc), room temp
• 3 tablespoons milk
• 1 1/2 cups confectioners sugar (6 oz)
• 1 tsp vanilla extract (or to taste)
• & 1 tsp almond extract - opt, or flavor of choice

Details

Servings 1

Preparation

Step 1

Preheat oven to 375

Mix flour, sugar & salt
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Add butter, 1 piece at a time; mix until looks crumbly, about 1 min longer
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Add vanilla & cream cheese & mix until dough forms large clumps, 30 sec
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Add a little additional milk if nec to bring dough together
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Knead 2 or 3 mins
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Divide in half, refrigerate 30 mins (can refrig up to 3 days or freeze up to 2 weeks, defrost in refrig before using)
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Oven 375, middle rack:
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Roll to 1/8" thickness between 2 pieces parchment, slide with parchment onto baking sheet & chill 10 mins
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Cut out & bake on parchment 1 1/2" apart until golden, about 10 mins
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Cool on rack
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Glaze:
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Whisk cream cheese, 2 tbs milk & vanilla/flavorings til smooth; whisk in confectioners sugar til smooth; add milk til desired consistency
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*Options:
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--Jelly filled sandwiches-bake tops sprinkled with decorating sugar
Heat 1 1/4 cups raspberry jam, simmer to reduce to 1 cup, strain & cool
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Spread bottoms w/ 1 tsp jam & cover w/tops that were baked w/dec sugar
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--Chocolate cherry bar cookies with hazelnuts:
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Add 1 cup chopped dried cherries to dry ingred, press dough into parchment lined 17 1/2 x 12" baking sheet Bake in 375 oven til golden, about 20 mins
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Sprinkle with 9 oz ( 1 1/2 cups) choc chips, let stand to melt, abt 3 mins;
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Spread choc & top with 1 1/2 cups (7 oz) toasted, skinned chopped hazelnuts, cool 15 - 20 mins, cut into bars using pizza wheel
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--Citrus glazed coconut snowballs add 1 tsp grated zest with dry ingred
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Substitute 3 tbs juice for milk in glaze
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Finely chop (15 pulses in processor): 1 1/2 cups sweetened shredded coconut
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Roll dough into 1" balls, bake on parchment 375 til lightly browned, about 12 mins
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Dip tops into glaze, scrape off extra glaze, dip into coconut
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Let stand til dry, about 20 mins