Sugar Cookies Scandinavian Recipes

SUGAR COOKIES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°. Cream butter, shortening and sugar until light and fluffy, 5-7 minutes. Beat in egg and vanilla. In another bowl, whisk flour, baking powder and baking soda; gradually beat into creamed mixture., Shape into 1-in. balls. Roll in additional sugar. Place on greased baking sheets; flatten with a glass. Bake until set, 10-12 minutes. Remove to wire racks to cool.

SWEDISH CHRISTMAS COOKIES

Steps:

• Whisk the flour, cardamom, and salt in a bowl.
• Put the butter and confectioners' sugar in a food processor, and process until smooth. Pulse in the egg, vanilla, and lemon zest until combined. Add the flour mixture and process to make a soft buttery dough. Divide the dough in half onto 2 (12-inch long) sheets of plastic wrap. Using the plastic, shape into rough logs. Refrigerate the dough logs for 30 minutes until just firm enough to shape into uniform logs, 8-inches long by 2-inches in diameter. Refrigerate until firm, at least 2 hours or overnight.
• Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.
• Scatter either the sanding sugars or toasted nuts on a work surface and roll the logs until completely coated. Cut into 1/4-inch thick cookies and space about 1 inch apart on parchment-lined baking sheets. Bake until golden around the edges, 20 to 25 minutes. Cool cookies on the pan on wire racks. Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 weeks.

BASIC SUGAR COOKIES

Steps:

• In large bowl, whisk flour, baking powder, and salt. With an electric mixer, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in egg and vanilla. With mixer on low, gradually add flour mixture; beat until combined. Divide dough in half; flatten into disks. Wrap each in plastic; freeze until firm, at least 20 minutes, or place in a resealable plastic bag, and freeze up to 3 months (thaw in refrigerator overnight).
• Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Line baking sheets with parchment. Remove one dough disk; let stand 5 to 10 minutes. Roll out 1/8 inch thick between two sheets of floured parchment, dusting dough with flour as needed. Cut shapes with cookie cutters. Using a spatula, transfer to prepared baking sheets. (If dough gets soft, chill 10 minutes.) Reroll scraps; cut shapes. Repeat with remaining dough.
• Bake, rotating halfway through, until edges are golden, 10 to 18 minutes (depending on size). Cool completely on wire racks. To ice cookies, spread with the back of a spoon. Let the icing harden, about 20 minutes. Decorate as desired.
• For the icing, sift confectioners' sugar into a small bowl. Whisk in milk, water, or lemon juice, 1 tablespoon at a time, until smooth and thick enough to coat the back of a spoon. If too thin, whisk in more sugar; if too thick, add more liquid. Spread over cookies with back of a spoon. Add other decorations, if desired. Let the icing harden, about 20 minutes.

CLASSIC SUGAR COOKIES

Steps:

• In large bowl, beat 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar, the softened butter, 1 teaspoon vanilla, the almond extract and egg with electric mixer on medium speed, or mix with spoon, until well blended. Stir in flour, baking soda and cream of tartar. Divide dough in half; shape dough into 2 disks, and wrap in plastic wrap. Cover and refrigerate at least 2 hours.
• Heat oven to 375°F.
• Roll each disk on lightly floured surface until 1/4 inch thick. Cut with 2- to 2 1/2-inch cookie cutters into desired shapes. On ungreased cookie sheets, place cutouts at least 2 inches apart.
• Bake 7 to 8 minutes or until edges are light brown. Cool 1 minute; remove from cookie sheets to cooling racks. Cool completely.
• In medium bowl, beat 3 cups powdered sugar, 3 tablespoons milk and 1/4 teaspoon vanilla with spoon until smooth and spreadable. If frosting is too stiff to spread, add additional milk, 1 teaspoon at a time. Tint with food color. Spread frosting on cooled cookies. Decorate as desired with colored sugar or candy sprinkles. Let stand about 4 hours or until frosting is set. Store covered in airtight container at room temperature with waxed paper between layers.

SCANDINAVIAN ALMOND COOKIES

Steps:

• Heat oven to 375°F. Line 2 large cookie sheets with cooking parchment paper; spray with cooking spray. In large bowl, mix cookie mix, softened butter, egg, flour and 1 teaspoon almond extract until dough forms.
• Divide dough into 3 pieces. Place 2 dough pieces on first cookie sheet. Press each piece into 12x2 1/2-inch rectangle, leaving 4 inches between rectangles. Place remaining piece of dough on second cookie sheet, and repeat shaping.
• Brush each rectangle with 1/2 teaspoon milk; sprinkle with 1/4 cup almonds. Press almonds lightly into tops of dough.
• Bake one cookie sheet at a time 10 to 12 minutes or until edges are golden brown (center will look soft). Cool 1 minute. Using sharp knife, cut each log into 1-inch diagonal slices, making sure to cut completely through almond slices while cutting. Remove from cookie sheet to cooling rack, leaving slices on parchment paper. Cool completely, about 30 minutes.
• In small bowl, stir powdered sugar, 1/4 teaspoon almond extract and 5 to 6 teaspoons milk until desired consistency. Drizzle over cookies; sprinkle 3 tablespoons almonds over tops. Let stand about 1 hour or until glaze is set. Store loosely covered at room temperature up to 2 days.

SWEDISH SUGAR COOKIES

Steps:

• 1. Sift dry ingredients together, work in butter and shortening with a fork as for pastry. Add egg beaten with vanilla.
• 2. Wrap dough in plastic and let set in refrigerator until firm. (about 20-30 min)
• 3. Roll into balls and flatten on cookie sheet OR .. these make wonderful cut out cookies. My favorite is the reindeer, stars and bells for Christmas. Sprinkle with decorating sugar BEFORE baking.
• 4. Bake each sheet at 350 deg for 10 min. A dark pan will give you nice lightly brown cookies.

SWEDISH SUGAR COOKIES

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350.
• Cream sugar, shortning, butter and sugar.
• Add flour, baking soda and baking powder.
• Mix well.
• Add vanilla and coconut.
• Drop on cookie sheet.
• Flatten with sugared cup bottom.
• Bake 10-15 minutes.

SUGAR COOKIES (SCANDINAVIAN)

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F.
• Beat the butter until creamy. Beat in the sugar until well blended.
• Stir in the egg, then the salt, cardamom, vanilla extract, and almond extract.
• Slowly add the flour, blending well.
• Refrigerate the dough for 30-90 minutes. Take out only enough to work with at one time.
• Roll to 1/8" thickness on a lightly floured board. (Flour the rolling pin lightly, too, or use a rolling pin cover.) Cut the dough with floured cutters.
• Place cookies on ungreased baking sheets (optional: use parchment paper). Leave a little room between cookies. Dust with the sugar of your choice and bake at 350°F for 11-15 minutes until lightly browned at edges. Remove cookies from baking sheets after 1-2 minutes and let them cool.
• These cookies may be frozen. You can refrigerate the dough or even freeze it for later use.