Homemade Italian Bakery Butter Cookies

By ctozzi

Ingredients

• 1 cup (2 sticks) of best quality butter
• 1/2 cup of confectioners sugar
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• scant 1/4 cup of cornstarch
• 1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
• 1/4 teaspoon of fine sea salt
• mini chocolate chips

Preparation

Step 1

Pre-heat your oven to 350 degrees. Line a sheet pan with parchment paper and set aside.

Set up you piping bag with a large start tip or other similar decorative tip (small tips will not work here). I set mine into a large tumbler to keep the bag standing so it is easier to fill.


I chose a more ornate tip just to change things up a bit, I usually use the simple large star tip.

In the work bowl of your standing mixer cream the butter then add the confectioners sugar and cream them both together.


Butter and confectioners sugar creamed together, nice and light

Add the vanilla extract and combine.


Pure vanilla is important here

In a separate bowl combine your dry ingredients.



Add the dry ingredients to the butter mixture and mix well. Do not over beat.


Dough all done.

Put the cookie dough into the prepared piping bag. Twist the top so the dough moves to the tip end and eliminates air pockets.


See how the tumbler helps hold the bag being filled?

Pipe out the dough into closed spirals. This does require some hand strength, consider it the work out before you eat the cookies.


Cute no?

Gently place the chips neatly on top of each cookie.


See the amount of chips? That's all you need. Honest.

Bake the cookies for 15-20 minutes depending on the size of the cookie you piped. the cookies should have a light golden color on the edges and the bottom. If they are not lightly golden as I described the texture will not be right.


Cooling...let them cool all the way before you eat them. Trust me on this.

Cool the cookies completely on a rack. These cookies taste best when completely cool.


Good grief!!!! These are awesome!!!!!

Plate them up and enjoy! An expresso or a cup of good coffee would go great right now….yup, I going to make some coffee! I sent the picture to Hubby at work…He should be here any minute.