Butter cookies

Name: Butter cookies - Eufrosina K.
Ingredients: unsalted butter 227 g (at room temperature) powdered sugar; 94 g (not the one with starch) coarse salt; 1 + 1/2 teaspoon 157 g ground nuts; almonds; hazelnuts (ground) candied fruits flour 292 g granulated sugar 80 g (for decoration)

Dessert - Butter cookies by Eufrosina K. - Recipia

I never forgot the first time I tried making these cookies, on a strange Sunday in early December when I was craving something simple and couldn’t find peace until I pulled the tray out of the oven. What I ended up with… let’s just say I may have overdone it with the salt and didn’t chill the dough long enough. They turned out good, but something wasn’t quite right; still, they disappeared quickly. Over time, I made adjustments: I discovered that using good butter and coarse salt makes a world of difference, and that almonds or walnuts make these cookies seem “fancier” than they actually are. Don’t panic if your dough doesn’t turn out perfect; mine has broken a few times, but it’s easy to fix. For those who want a quick overview: these cookies take about 20 minutes of actual prep time, plus chilling in the fridge for at least 30 minutes, but an hour is better if you have the time. Baking takes another 15 minutes, so you can count on them being ready in an hour and a half, without any hassle. From these quantities, I usually get around 40 medium cookies, which is enough to share with neighbors or have on the table if you have a gathering. It’s nothing complicated, I promise! If you’ve worked with butter and flour at least once, you’re good to go. If not, you’ll still manage; you might just need to clean some flour off your work surface. Why do I make them so often? Because they go with everything. You can quickly put something on the table, have them with your morning coffee, take them to someone, or, you know, save your skin if unexpected guests show up—they keep very well and don’t require much fuss. They’re simple, but not boring—you can make them with almonds, walnuts, or just plain, and they always turn out tender, crispy on the edges, without crumbling in your hand. And yes, I admit, I also make them because sometimes I’m too lazy to complicate things, but I don’t want it to show. You’ll need the following ingredients, explained like friends: 227 g unsalted butter (at room temperature, so it’s not hard; otherwise, you’ll get frustrated mixing). Butter is the base, providing all the flakiness and flavor. If it’s not good, everything turns out mediocre. 94 g powdered sugar – make sure it’s starch-free; if you use the “industrial” kind, it’s too sticky. Powdered sugar melts faster and gives that fine texture. 1 and a half teaspoons of coarse salt (yes, coarse, not fine, so you can taste it occasionally in the dough; it’s not a mistake, it has its purpose here). 157 g almonds or walnuts (or hazelnuts if you’re a fan; you can also add dried fruit if you want a colorful version, but I stick to plain almonds or walnuts so they’re not too sweet). 292 g all-purpose flour (you can use type 650 flour if you want slightly “heartier” cookies; these will be more golden, while the others will be whiter). 80 g granulated sugar (optional, for rolling the cookies on the edges if you feel like decorating). Instructions: 1. The nuts or almonds need to be ground—I use a chopper or food processor, but I don’t grind them too finely; I leave some small pieces visible. If you turn them into powder, the flavor seems to disappear. 2. In a bowl or directly in the mixer bowl, mix the soft butter with the powdered sugar and coarse salt. I don’t beat it too hard, just enough to make it creamy—if you overmix, it becomes too airy, and you don’t want that. It’s fine to see small salt crystals; that’s actually desirable. 3. Add the flour and nuts (or almonds). Don’t mix too much here; just enough to combine; you’ll see it doesn’t look like a classic cookie dough—it’s more crumbly. If you’re using a processor, two or three pulses are enough; otherwise, mix by hand but don’t knead too much; you don’t want the butter to warm up. 4. Move everything to your work surface and gather the dough with your hands into a ball (or something relatively compact). It’s okay if it seems a bit crumbly; that’s how it should be. Flatten it into a disc about the size of your palm (around 20 cm in diameter), wrap it in plastic wrap, and put it in the fridge for at least half an hour. The longer it stays, the easier it will be to roll out. 5. About 10 minutes before you take the dough out, preheat your oven to 175 degrees Celsius; don’t worry about preheating; it’s something everyone forgets at least once, and I’ve done it too. The cookies might cool down a bit, but you won’t die from it. Also, put some parchment paper on the tray. 6. Sprinkle a little flour on your work surface and also on your rolling pin, or else it’ll stick. Take the dough out of the fridge and roll it out to about 6 mm thick—you don’t have to be exact, but don’t make it too thin, or it will burn. 7. Cut the cookies into whatever shape you want—I use a small glass, about 4 cm in diameter. You can also use fancier shapes, but I recommend sticking to something simple so you don’t struggle with cutting them out. 8. Now comes the part where you can decorate: if you want, roll the edges of each cookie in granulated sugar for a shiny “crown” after baking. It’s not mandatory, but it looks nice for the holidays. Place them on the tray, leaving a little space between them; they won’t expand too much. 9. Bake for 15-18 minutes until you see they are lightly browned on the edges. I usually turn the tray after 10 minutes for even baking. If you notice they’re browning too much on the bottom, you can move the tray higher in the oven or even flip the cookies individually; it’s not rocket science. 10. After you take them out, don’t move them immediately as they might break—let them rest on the tray for 5 minutes, then use a spatula to transfer them to a cooling rack (or a wooden board lined with paper if you don’t have a rack) to cool without getting soggy. Done, you can taste them, but be careful as they’re still hot. Tips, variations, and serving ideas Practical tips: Don’t try to make these cookies without chilling the dough; otherwise, they spread out and stick to the surface, especially if it’s warm in the kitchen. A common mistake is using cold butter, thinking it “helps”—it doesn’t help at all, you’ll just struggle for nothing. If you want to cut them into more complicated shapes, put the dough in the freezer for 10 minutes to firm up more, or else they’ll deform. Don’t stress if they’re not all exactly the same shape—I always end up with a broken corner or some thicker than the rest, but no one minds. Substitutions: You can use vegan butter if you need to make them dairy-free. However, make sure it’s a butter that behaves well when baked; otherwise, they won’t turn out tender. Type 650 flour is fine; the cookies will be a bit more “earthy,” but still good. If you need a gluten-free version, almond flour or special mixes from the supermarket work, but don’t expect them to bind the same way—you might need to add a tablespoon or two more of butter. Variations: You can keep the cookies simple, just with butter, or add a bit of grated orange or lemon zest to the dough for a fresher taste. For a more complex flavor, try adding a pinch of cinnamon; it turns out interesting. If you’re going for something sweet, add a few small pieces of chocolate or dried fruit directly into the dough, but don’t overdo it; otherwise, they’ll melt together. Even without nuts or almonds, they turn out good, especially if you roll them in sugar. Serving ideas: I serve them in the morning with coffee, simply, but they also pair well with black tea or a small glass of milk if you want something nostalgic. For festive meals, you can dip them halfway in melted chocolate or sprinkle them with powdered sugar after they’ve completely cooled—that makes them look special, even though they’re still the same basic cookies. On holiday platters, I mix them up—some with almonds, others plain or with walnuts, so everyone has something to taste. Frequently asked questions Can I use margarine instead of butter? Theoretically, you can, but I don’t recommend it—margarine doesn’t give the same taste, and the texture won’t be as tender. Butter is essential here if you want “butter cookies,” not just some random biscuits. I once tried with margarine, and they turned out harder, somehow. How long do the cookies last without drying out or getting soggy? If you keep them in a metal tin or a jar with a lid, they easily last two to three weeks. If you leave them in a cardboard box, they dry out a bit faster, but they still won’t spoil. It’s important not to keep them in a humid place. Can I freeze them? Yes, both the dough and the baked cookies can be frozen without any problems. Take the dough out the night before to thaw in the fridge; for the baked cookies, let them reach room temperature after taking them out of the freezer, and you’re good to go. What can I substitute for almonds/nuts if I have allergies? You can make them without nuts at all, simply. Or you can use ground pumpkin seeds (it’s a bit eccentric, but it works). You can also add coconut flakes; they won’t bind the same way, but the flavor is good. Is it necessary to use granulated sugar on the edges? No, it’s just for decoration. You can leave them plain or dust them with sugar after they’ve cooled. Even without it, you won’t lose any flavor; just the appearance will differ. Can I use another type of flour? Yes, as mentioned earlier—whole wheat flour, gluten-free flour, almond flour, or even commercial mixes for gluten-free baking. The texture and flavor change a bit, but not for the worse. Approximate nutritional values I calculated this on a rainy day, not because I’m stressed about diet, but to prevent someone from eating the whole jar and then blaming the recipe. One cookie has about 75-80 calories (if you make around 40 from this dough), with about 5-6 g of carbohydrates, 4-5 g of fat, most of which is butter and some healthy oils from the nuts or almonds. You won’t find much protein, maybe 1 g per cookie. It’s not a light dessert, but it’s not something hyper-industrialized or made with cheap margarine. They’re sweet but not overly so, with enough salt to “cut” the buttery taste, so it doesn’t seem greasy. It’s fine to eat 2-3 with coffee; more than that… I don’t judge, but I don’t recommend it if you’re on a strict diet. How to store and reheat These cookies are low-maintenance—you can keep them in a metal tin or a well-sealed jar at room temperature, and they last for weeks. You don’t even have to reheat them, but if you really want to feel like they just came out of the oven, you can pop them in for 2-3 minutes at 160°C in a preheated oven, or even on a dry skillet over very low heat. I don’t recommend the microwave—it makes them soft, not crispy. As for the freezer, as I said, you can put them in anytime and take them out as you crave them. They usually don’t get old at my place, but if they do, they keep their texture for a long time.

Preparation

1. Grind the nuts to achieve a medium to fine texture. 2. In a food processor, blend the butter with powdered sugar and salt. 3. Add flour and ground nuts, processing just enough to combine. A crumbly mixture is obtained. 4. Transfer to a bowl and knead until a compact ball is formed. Flatten into a 20 cm disc, wrap in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes. 5. Ten minutes before rolling out the dough, preheat the empty oven to 175 degrees and prepare a very large or two medium baking trays lined with parchment paper. 6. Lightly flour the work surface and rolling pin, and roll out the dough to a thickness of 6mm. 7. Cut the dough into the desired shape (about 4 cm in diameter). 8. If desired, roll the edges of the cookies in granulated sugar (not too coarse) and place on the tray. They do not rise much during baking, so do not leave too much space between them. 9. Bake for 15-18 minutes until they turn golden brown around the edges. After the first 10 minutes, turn the tray. I flipped the cookies over because they were already browning on the bottom and moved them to the upper third of the oven. 10. Once removed, let them sit for 5 minutes on the tray, then transfer to a cooling rack to cool without condensation. Enjoy! They have a richer taste with ground almonds/walnuts.

Ingredients

unsalted butter 227 g (at room temperature) powdered sugar
94 g (not the one with starch) coarse salt
1 + 1/2 teaspoon 157 g ground nuts
almonds
hazelnuts (ground) candied fruits flour 292 g granulated sugar 80 g (for decoration)

Butter cookies

Preparation

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