Recipes

German Butter Cookies

  • Serves

    makes 5-6 DOZEN

EVAN SKLAR

(Butter Geback)

Everybody in Miles Chapin's family made these cookies differently, from the aunt who embellished hers with piped icing and colored sprinkles, to his mother who used a simple glaze and a dusting of plain sugar. He loved them all.

Ingredients

  • 6 cups flour
  • 1 1⁄2 tbsp. ground cinnamon
  • 1⁄4 tsp. salt
  • 1 lb. butter, softened
  • 2 1⁄4 cups sugar
  • 3 eggs, 1 lightly beaten
  • 1⁄2 cups fruity white wine, such as riesling

Instructions

Step 1

Sift flour, cinnamon, and salt together into a large bowl.

Step 2

Beat butter with an electric mixer, then gradually add 2 cups sugar and beat until light and fluffy. Beat in 2 eggs, one at a time, then alternately beat in dry ingredients and wine about one-third at a time. Dough will be very soft.

Step 3

Divide dough into 5 equal parts, flatten, wrap in plastic, and refrigerate overnight.

Step 4

Preheat oven to 350°. Roll out dough about 1⁄4" thick on a lightly floured work surface. Cut with cookie cutters, transfer to greased cookie sheets. Scraps may be gathered, rechilled, and rolled one additional time.

Step 5

Brush cookies with remaining egg, sprinkle with a little of remaining sugar, and bake in batches until golden, about 20 minutes. Transfer cookies to a wire rack and cool completely. Decorate as desired and serve. Store in a cookie jar. Cookies taste best after sitting one week.

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