For cookie dough-
Preheat oven to 350 degrees and set racks in the upper and
lower thirds of the oven. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment
paper or silicon baking mats.
In a stand mixer, beat butter, sugar, vanilla and salt together on
medium-high speed until fluffy. Beat in the egg. On low-speed,
add flour and beat until just incorporated.
Fit a pastry bag with a large star tip. Fill the bag with the cookie
dough (I like to set the bag inside a tall glass, fold the top of the
bag over to make a cuff, and then fill it). [Alternatively, if you do
not want to pipe the dough, you could roll the dough into 1-inch
rounds, press a hole in the center with your thumb and place a
filling inside it to make thumbprint cookies.]
Pipe the dough onto baking sheets into stars (or other shapes),
spacing about 1-inch apart. See decorating options below.
Bake cookies until lightly golden along the edges, about 15
minutes, rotating the baking sheets midway through the baking
time. Let cool 5 minutes on the baking sheet, then transfer
cookies to a wire rack to cool completely.
Decorating options-
- Bake cookies as is and when cooled, sandwich two together
with a fruit preserve of your choice or with chocolate ganache.
Dip one end of the sandwich cookie with melted chocolate or
ganache, add sprinkles on top of that, if desired.
- Bake cookies as is and dip half of each cookie with ganache or
melted dark chocolate. Add sprinkles, crushed candies, or nuts
over chocolate. Set on parchment until chocolate sets.
- Before baking, press 3-5 miniature chocolate chips into the
center of each cookie.
Before baking, make a deep indentation in the center of the
dough with your thumb. Fill the indent with fruit preserves or
candied cherries (or fudge), then bake as directed.
- To fill the center of the cookies with ganache, make
indentations in the cookie dough before baking and bake
without filling. After the cookies have baked and cooled
completely, pipe or spoon thickened ganache into the empty
indentations.
Originally Submitted
7/8/2015
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