Butter Cookies

In my last post about Vanilla-Bean Cupcakes, I mentioned butter cookies that I made for my friend in KL,Malaysia. Sorry it took me so long to blog this post. Finally got down to uploading the pics. These cookies were full of rich buttery deliciousness! I have made these cookies twice since, and they are super easy to whip up on short notice.

These cookies were simple and easy to make. I used my cookie press to make the shapes. A cookie press is a hollow tube fitted with a decorative nozzle at one end and a plunger at the other, to press the cookies directly onto the baking sheet.  Below is a picture of my cookie press, it came with 20 different nozzles.

I have had this cookie press for a long time now, don’t remember the last time I used it. So I was thinking of purging it. But decided to give it one more go. Thank god I made these cookies, now I LOVE my cookie press.  But if you don’t have a cookie press, just make small balls of dough and flatten it on the baking tray with a fork.

Butter Cookies

Adapted from Martha Stewart Living

Yield: Makes 3 dozen cookies

Ingredients:

• ¾ cups unsalted butter
• ½ cup sugar
• 1 large egg yolk
• 1 ¾ cups all-purpose flour
• A pinch of salt
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
• Colored pearls for decoration

Directions

• Heat oven to 350 degrees.
• Sift the flour, and set aside.
• In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
• Add the egg yolk,vanilla and salt. Beat well.
• Add the flour in 3 additions, and mix until well incorporated.
• Fill the cookie press with the dough, and press out the cookie shapes directly onto an ungreased baking sheet. Place the colored pearls on the cookies.
• Bake for 10-15 minutes, until the cookies are lightly browned.
• To ensure even baking, rotate the sheet halfway through the baking process.
• Transfer to a wire rack, and let it cool. Store in an airtight container.