Mami's Butter Cookies
Childhood memories are often framed by sweet rewards
Mami's Butter Cookies
Whenever my mind drifts to my childhood memories, I often go back to this one treat that always made me smile. My mom would bake these gorgeous cookies and keep them in danish cookie tins. I would recognize the smell even before opening the kitchen door. I knew what I would find. I loved these cookies then and I am still in love with them now.
Mami's Butter Cookies
I have always loved how sticky and chewy the jam becomes after baking. I would always take bites around the jam button and leave the sticky sweetness for the last bite. My favorite part!
Now my boys love them too and I bake a batch for them whenever I can. Half with jam and the other half with a dollop of chocolate hazelnut spread. You can top these cookies with lots of options! My mom would use raisins sometimes, or half a walnut would be gorgeous. Anything goes with butter!
And oh! That buttery melt-in-your-mouth awesomeness! They simply disintegrate once they touch the roof of your mouth! Very guilty pleasure. Very.
Some useful tips for this recipe:
Make sure the butter is cold, right out of the refrigerator.
Try using your hands as little as possible to avoid melting the butter.
When the dough is ready place it in the refrigerator for a few minutes to solidify the butter bits. It will be easier to handle.
Choose your favorite topping! Anything works with butter.
Mami's Butter Cookies
Ingredients
- 2 cups All-purpose Flour
- 1 cup Butter, cut into cubes
- 1/2 cup Sugar
- 1 Egg
- 1 tsp Vanilla
- Your favorite Jam for topping*
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 190 C / 375 F
- In a large bowl, mix the flour with the cold cubed butter. Cut the butter into the flour using a pastry blender or a fork. Avoid using your fingers so the butter doesn't melt.
- Once you have even crumbs, add the egg, sugar and vanilla.
- Mix well, first with a wooden spoon and then quickly with your hands until you get an even dough.
- Cut small pieces and form each into a ball, smaller than a ping pong ball.
- Hold the ball in the palm of your hand and make an indentation with your index finger, deep enough to hold a small dollop of jam.
- Place each shaped cookie on a baking tray (no need to grease the tray, there's enough butter in the dough)
- Now place a small dollop of jam into the indented part of each cookie.
- Bake for 15-17 minutes until you see a light brown edge on the cookie, where it meats the tray.
- Remove the tray from the oven and let the cookies cool completely before removing them from the tray. Enjoy!!!!
Notes:
*You can also top these cookies with chocolate hazelnut spread, raisins or your favorite nuts. Or nothing at all!