Butter Cookies

Posted on September 1, 2012 by prairiemoonquilts in Recipes

A few weeks ago, I was in my friend, Sue’s, coffee shop, and she had the most wonderfully delicious-looking cookies in a pretty dish on the counter, and even though I went in only wanting an iced coffee, one of those cookies screamed my name so loudly, I had to buy it to shut it up! Really!

They were Butter Cookies, Sue said.

They were delicious. I wanted more than one, but good sense fear of public embarrassment kept me from buying more.

But I vowed to come home and try to figure out how to make them myself so I could have them any time I wanted them, and have as many as I wanted in the privacy of my own little shack.

So I scoured my mother’s recipe box to see if she had a recipe for Butter Cookies.

Sure enough, she did — in her very own handwriting. Her notes on the card indicate that it is Aunt Ruby’s recipe.

Aunt Ruby could make good cookies, so I tested it out.

The recipe says to put them through a press, which I don’t have. It was also cryptic on the amount of salt, and how long to bake them, so I’ve rewritten the recipe to put in all the things I did that take that guesswork out, so you can have yummy Butter Cookies your ownself.

And it can be done without a cookie press. I mean, who has time for that hassle? I need to get them done fast so I can EAT them! It also says they usually doubled the recipe, and I can see why. It only made about 2 dozen. That might cover me, but what about everyone else in the family?

Butter Cookies

3/4 cup sugar

1 cup butter (2 sticks, softened)

1 unbeaten egg

1 teaspoon vanilla

1/4 teaspoon salt

2 1/2 cups flour

Mix together. Chill for 30 minutes. Roll in balls, and place on an ungreased cookie sheet. Flatten slightly. Bake at 400 degrees for 8-10 minutes.

Sprinkle the tops with colored sugar or tint the batter with food coloring before baking.

I didn’t sprinkle or color mine (because I was in a hurry), but wouldn’t they be cute colored pink or blue for a baby shower, or all different colors for Easter? Or sprinkled with red or green sugar for Christmas cookies? If you had a press that squirted them out in the shapes of little trees, you could color the batter green first, and have all kinds of fun. OK, I’ll stop now.

 

0 responses to “Butter Cookies”

  1. Betsy Albertson says:

    Shelly, my grandma would always make butter cookies for Christmas with colored sugar on top, I bet I have the recipe somewhere in that mess of all my recipes. I remember they would just kind of melt in your mouth. A nice, light, crisp, cookie, loved them! Thanks for your recipe and bringing back a fond memory for me.
    Betsy

  2. Cindy says:

    Since I own a cookie press, does that make me old? They sound yummy!

  3. I would want to make them, just so I’d have a reason to get a cookie press. You know me…notion junkie. LOL. I bet they are good. I have always thought recipes for butter cookies don’t make many. I wonder if someone’s trying to tell us something.

    So, how were the ones you made? Were they as good as the ones in the shop? 😉

    Now I’m hungry. Dang you!

  4. I have a cookie press. Not sure where it is. So I think I’ll make these the way you did. As soon as it cools down a bit.

  5. Rose Marie says:

    I’ll tell you how old I am. I have worn out one and then bought a Pampered Chef model that is so tough it probably won’t wear out. I do like those tinted green Christmas trees and wreaths.
    And since I didn’t do a single thing for Christmas last year (had surgery instead), I just might have to do a lot of extras this year.

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