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Chinese Butter Cookies

5.0

(2)

Image may contain Plant Food Bread Dish and Meal
Photo by Diana Kuan

Around the Chinese New Year, Chinatown bakeries fill up with tins of butter cookies, waiting to be given as gifts to relatives. Of course, they're still sold and eaten year-round, and once you have just one of these bite-size cookies, it's hard to stop. They're a tad less sweet than American cookies, but their rich butteriness makes them irresistible.

Recipe information

  • Yield

    makes about 40 small cookies

Ingredients

12 tablespoons (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
3/4 cup confectioners' sugar
1 large egg
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups self-rising flour

special equipment

Mixer with paddle attachment
Cookie press

Preparation

  1. Step 1

    1. Preheat the oven to 375°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

    Step 2

    2. In a standing electric mixer, cream the butter until smooth. Add the confectioners' sugar and cream until fluffy. Add the egg and vanilla extract. Slowly sift in the self-rising flour and beat until a smooth dough forms.

    Step 3

    3. Add the dough to a cookie press and attach a star or flower-shape disk. Press the cookies onto the lined baking sheet, leaving 1 inch of space around each cookie.

    Step 4

    4. Bake for 15 minutes, or until lightly golden on top. Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely before storing. The cookies can be stored at room temperature in an airtight container for 3 to 4 days.

Cover of the cookbook featuring eggrolls, kung pao chicken, soup, and a noodle dish.
Reprinted with permission from The Chinese Takeout Cookbook by Diana Kuan, © 2012 Ballantine Books. Buy the full book on Amazon or Bookshop.

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