This quick recipe comes together in minutes. This is my slight variation on The Joy of Cooking Rich Roll Cookies. I like them a little richer and more delicate with two egg yolks instead of one whole egg. I also encourage the addition of Anise seed, it's optional, but if you like Anise it really makes these cookies a little extra special.
Ingredients
1/2 pound or 1 cup, room temperature Unsalted Butter
2/3 cup caster or regular Granulated Sugar
2 Egg Yolks, or 1 whole egg
1/2 teaspoon Baking Powder
1/2 teaspoon fine Kosher Sea Salt
2 teaspoons Vanilla
1 teaspoon Anise Seed
2 1/2 cups All Purpose Flour
Prepare
Pre-heat oven to 350.
Beat butter until light and fluffy.
Beat sugar into butter until well incorporated and light.
Beat in egg yolks, baking powder, salt, Anise and vanilla.
Stir in flour until blended, careful not to overmix. If dough appears too dry and a teaspoon of water.
Roll dough to 1/4 and cut desired shapes.
Bake with at least 1/2 inch of space between cookies for 9-12 minutes (depending on if you like your sugar cookies browned.
Makes 24-40 cookies, depending on cutout size.
NOTES: I like to make these decorative, as pictured below, by rolling with and embossed rolling pin before cutting. You can quickly dust baked cookies with powdered sugar and brush with a silicone brush to emphasize the emboss. They are also delicious, as pictured below, with American Buttercream. For heavily frosted cookies you will want a double batch of buttercream.
