Nathan Family Butter Cookies Food

THE BEST BUTTER COOKIES

Steps:

• Whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt in a medium bowl. Add the butter and granulated sugar to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. Beat on high speed for a full 2 minutes, scraping down the bowl halfway through the mixing; the butter should be very light and fluffy. Add the egg and vanilla and beat on medium speed until well combined. Add half the dry ingredients and beat on low speed to combine. Scrape down the mixing bowl before adding the remaining dry ingredients and beat to combine. Refrigerate for 1 hour in the bowl for drop cookies, or form into a 1-inch log for slice-and-bake cookies.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
• Place the turbinado sugar in a small bowl. For drop cookies, scoop the cookie dough with a 1 tablespoon-size cookie scoop and then dip the tops of the cookie dough balls into the sugar. Place onto the prepared baking sheet.
• For slice-and-bake cookies, cut the log into 1/2-inch-thick rounds. Press the tops into the sugar and place on the prepared baking sheet.
• Bake the cookies until slightly puffed and lightly golden on the bottom, about 15 minutes.

NATHAN FAMILY BUTTER COOKIES

Steps:

• With an electric mixer equipped with a paddle, cream the butter and sugar together. Add 2 eggs, brandy and vanilla extract.
• Gradually add salt and 3 cups flour, mixing well. Pour out onto a sheet of plastic wrap, wrap tightly, and chill for at least 1 hour or overnight.
• Heat oven to 350 degrees. Divide dough in two, and put half in refrigerator. On lightly floured surface, roll the other half into a circle 1/8 inch thick. (The thinner the dough, the better.) Cut with cookie cutters of your choice, dipping cutters in flour to prevent sticking. Transfer the cutouts to 2 ungreased cookie sheets. Repeat with the remaining cookie dough. Leave as is, or brush with egg yolk, and top with slivered almonds or egg white and tinted sugar.
• Bake in oven for 10 to 12 minutes, or until cookies are golden, turning trays front to back after 6 minutes. Remove, and cool on wire racks.

NORWEGIAN BUTTER COOKIES

Steps:

• Mix the flour, baking powder and a pinch of salt together. Add the butter and rub in with your fingers until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Mix in all the icing sugar and the vanilla sugar, then add the whole egg and mix until just combined, but be careful not to overmix.
• Transfer the dough to a food bag and put in the fridge to chill for about 1 hr.
• Heat the oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Roll the chilled dough into about 40 even balls (around 15g each). Arrange the dough balls over two baking sheets lined with baking parchment, leaving space between each for spreading. Using the back of a fork, press the balls down gently in the middle, so they spread to a diameter of about 3cm (they will spread more as they bake). If you prefer flat cookies, use the bottom of a glass.
• Brush the cookies with the beaten egg white and sprinkle over the pearl sugar or almonds. Bake for 10 mins, or until just cooked through (the cookies should not be fully browned, just lightly golden at the edges). Remove from the oven and transfer to wire racks to cool completely.

BUTTERY NUT COOKIES

Steps:

• In a bowl, cream butter, sugar, egg yolk, vanilla and salt until light and fluffy. Combine flour and pecans; gradually add to creamed mixture. Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour or up to 2 days. , Shape into 1-in. balls. Place 1-1/2-in. apart on ungreased baking sheets. Bake at 350° for 12-15 minutes or until firm. , If desired, immediately roll warm cookies in confectioners' sugar; or cool cookies and drizzle with melted chocolate.

AUNT LISL'S BUTTER COOKIES

Steps:

• Child: In a bowl, cream the butter and sugar. Then mix in the eggs, brandy, salt, vanilla, and flour. Let rest for at least 30 minutes in the refrigerator.
• Adult with Child: Roll out the dough to 1/8-inch thick. Preheat oven to 350°F.
• Child: You can either use cookie cutters or use the point of a toothpick like a knife to cut out cookies in any shapes you want. Let your imagination run free; how about dreidels, Stars of David, candles with flames attached, the four Hebrew letters on the dreidel?
• Once you have cut out the cookies, gently place them on the baking sheet. Then either brush them with egg yolk and sprinkle with nuts and raisins or brush with egg white and sprinkle with blue sugar.
• Adult: Bake for about 10 minutes, or until golden brown. Use a metal spatula to gently remove each cookie from the baking sheet to a cooling rack or flat plate.

BUTTER COOKIES

Steps:

• Heat the oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Beat the salted butter, vanilla and sugar together with an electric whisk until pale and fluffy. Sift over the flour and beat again until just combined. Spoon the dough into a piping bag fitted with a medium star nozzle.
• Pipe the dough in small 5cm swirls on one large or two smaller baking trays lined with baking parchment, spacing them apart to allow for them to spread. Bake for 15-20 mins until pale golden.
• Leave to cool on the trays for 5 mins, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.