Finnish Butter Cookies Recipes

FINNISH BUTTER COOKIES

Steps:

• In a small bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in extract. Gradually add 1-1/4 cups flour. Knead in remaining flour. Cover and chill for at least 2 hours. , On a lightly floured surface, roll out dough to 1/4 in. thickness. Cut with a 1-1/2 to 2-in. cookie cutter; place on ungreased baking sheets. Beat egg white until foamy; brush over cutouts. Sprinkle with sugar and almonds. , Bake at 350° for 7-8 minutes or until edges begin to brown. Cool on wire racks.

WORLD'S BEST BUTTER COOKIES

Steps:

• Beat the butter, sugar, salt and vanilla together until smooth and creamy.
• Mix in the egg yolk until well incorporated, scraping down the sides of the bowl at least once.
• Add the flour and mix just until incorporated.
• Scrape onto a lightly floured board and knead a few times, just until the dough smooths out.
• Turn onto a sheet of plastic wrap and roll into a log, wrap up and refrigerate for several hours or freeze.
• Before baking, preheat the oven to 325°F.
• Line your baking sheets with parchment.
• Slice the dough into slices about 1/8" thick and place them on the sheets about an inch apart (they won't be spreading very much, but they need air room around each cookie).
• Bake until JUST beginning to turn golden around the edges, about 16-18 minutes.
• Note: you can do many things with these cookies.
• You could roll the dough out and cut shapes.
• You could slice them even thinner and sandwich them with chocolate or jam or lemon curd.
• You could make them and then dip them half into chocolate.
• You could just make them and eat them, which is my favorite.
• Whatever you do, they will be delicious.

FINNISH BUTTER COOKIES

Steps:

• Cream butter and 1/4 cups sugar.
• Stir in almond extract.
• Add 1 1/4 cups flour and mix well.
• Knead in remaining 3/4 cups flour.
• Cover and chill at least 2 hours.
• Roll out onto a lightly floured surface to 1/4 inch thickness.
• Cut with a 1 1/2-2 inch cookie cutter.
• Place on ungreased baking sheets.
• Beat egg white until foamy and brush over cookies.
• Sprinkle with remaining 2 tablespoons sugar and almonds.
• Bake at 350 F until lightly browned, about 7-8 minutes.

FINNISH CHRISTMAS COOKIES

Steps:

• In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy, 5-7 minutes. Gradually beat in flour and mix well. Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour. , Roll out onto a well-floured surface to 1/4-in. thickness. Brush lightly with egg. Sprinkle with almonds and sugar if desired. Using a fluted pastry cutter or knife, cut into 2x1-in. strips. Place 1 in. apart on ungreased baking sheets. , Bake at 350° for 10-12 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool on wire racks.

FINNISH STAR COOKIES (JOULUTORTTU)

Steps:

• Whisk together flour, baking powder, and 1/2 teaspoon salt in a medium bowl. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream together butter and cream cheese on medium speed until well combined, about 1 minute. Add sugar and lemon zest and continue to beat until fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add 1 egg and beat until combined. Beat in flour mixture on low speed until combined. Divide dough in half. Shape each half into a square, wrap in plastic, and refrigerate until firm, 1 to 2 hours.
• Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
• Remove one-half of dough from the refrigerator. On a lightly floured sheet of parchment, roll out dough into a square about 1/8 inch thick. Cut out squares using a 3 1/2-inch square cutter, then carefully transfer to prepared baking sheets, spaced about 1 1/2 inches apart. If dough becomes too soft, transfer parchment with dough to a baking sheet and refrigerate until firm.
• Place 1 teaspoon preserves in the center of each square. Using a small paring knife, cut 1 1/4-inch slits diagonally from each corner toward the filling. Fold every other tip over to cover filling, forming a pinwheel. Press lightly to seal. If dough becomes soft, refrigerate until firm.
• Lightly beat remaining egg with remaining pinch of salt. Using a pastry brush, lightly brush tops of cookies with egg wash. Bake until edges are golden and cookies are slightly puffed, 15 to 20 minutes. Let cool on sheets 5 minutes, then transfer cookies to a wire rack to cool completely. Repeat with remaining dough.