High School Butter Cookie Recipes

CHICAGO PUBLIC SCHOOL CAFETERIA BUTTER COOKIES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
• Cream butter and sugar until fluffy.
• Mix in vanilla extract.
• Mix in flour gradually.
• Using a small cookie scoop, roll dough into balls and slightly flatten on ungreased cookie sheets.
• Flatten cookies with the bottom of a glass dipped in sugar if desired.
• Bake until golden brown (approximately 12-15 minutes.
• Makes about 2 dozen.

THE BEST BUTTER COOKIES

Steps:

• Whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt in a medium bowl. Add the butter and granulated sugar to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. Beat on high speed for a full 2 minutes, scraping down the bowl halfway through the mixing; the butter should be very light and fluffy. Add the egg and vanilla and beat on medium speed until well combined. Add half the dry ingredients and beat on low speed to combine. Scrape down the mixing bowl before adding the remaining dry ingredients and beat to combine. Refrigerate for 1 hour in the bowl for drop cookies, or form into a 1-inch log for slice-and-bake cookies.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
• Place the turbinado sugar in a small bowl. For drop cookies, scoop the cookie dough with a 1 tablespoon-size cookie scoop and then dip the tops of the cookie dough balls into the sugar. Place onto the prepared baking sheet.
• For slice-and-bake cookies, cut the log into 1/2-inch-thick rounds. Press the tops into the sugar and place on the prepared baking sheet.
• Bake the cookies until slightly puffed and lightly golden on the bottom, about 15 minutes.

SENN HIGH SCHOOL CHICAGO BUTTER COOKIES

Steps:

• Cream butter with mixer untill light and fuffy.
• Add sugar and salt and beat until no longer grainy.
• Gradually add flour a little at a time, beating at low speed untill dough forms.
• Mix in vanilla.
• Form dough into balls, one heaping tablespoon = 1 ball.
• Place balls on ungreased cookie sheet spaced widely- about 9 per sheet.
• Put 1/4 cup of sugar on saucer. Press first 3 fingers into sugar, then press down on ball to flatten to a 3 inch circle wide and 1/4 to 1/2 inch thick.
• Bake in preheated 350 degree oven 12-15 minutes, until faintly browned around the egdes.
• Gently remove cookies from sheet with a spatula, cool completely on wire racks.

SCHOOL CAFETERIA PEANUT BUTTER COOKIES

Steps:

• Preheat a convection oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C). See note for non-convection oven. Line baking sheets with parchment paper.
• In a large bowl, cream together the shortening, white sugar and brown sugar until smooth. Mix in peanut butter until well blended. Scrape down the sides of the bowl with a plastic scraper between additions. Add eggs 5 or 6 at a time, mixing well after each addition. Scrape down bowl, and mix for a minute. Combine the flour, baking soda and salt; gradually mix into the dough until fully incorporated. Scrape down the sides of the bowl one more time, and be sure the bottom has mixed evenly.
• Scoop out dough using an ice cream scoop, or roll into 2 inch balls. Place cookies 3 inches apart on the prepared baking sheets. Press down lightly with a fork to make a criss-cross pattern.
• Bake for 7 minutes in the preheated oven, until the edges are lightly toasted. Allow cookies to cool on the baking sheet for at least 5 minutes so they do not crumble.

OFF-TO-BED BUTTER COOKIES

Steps:

• Stir together flour and salt in a bowl.
• Beat together butter and granulated sugar with an electric mixer at medium-high speed in a large bowl until pale and fluffy. Reduce speed to low, then add flour mixture in 3 batches, mixing, and continue to mix until batter just comes together in clumps. Gather clumps to form a dough, then press dough with lightly floured hands into a smooth 1 1/4-inch-thick log on a very lightly floured work surface. Chill, wrapped in plastic wrap, at least 1 hour.
• Put oven racks in upper and lower thirds of oven and preheat oven to 350°F. Line 2 large baking sheets with parchment paper.
• Cut chilled log crosswise into 1/4-inch-thick slices and arrange slices about 1/2 inch apart on baking sheets. Brush tops of cookies lightly with cream, then sprinkle generously with turbinado sugar.
• Bake cookies, switching position of sheets halfway through baking, until edges are pale golden, 12 to 15 minutes total. Cool on sheets on racks.