Aunt Eileens Christmas Butter Cookies Recipes

AUNT LISL'S BUTTER COOKIES

Steps:

• In a bowl, cream the butter and sugar. Then mix in the eggs, brandy, salt, vanilla, and flour. Let rest for at least 30 minutes in the refrigerator. Roll out the dough to 1/8- inch thick. Preheat oven to 350 degree. You can either use cookie cutters or use the point of a toothpick like a knife to cut out cookies in any shapes you want. Once the cookies have been cut out, gently place them on the baking sheet. Then either brush them with egg yolk and sprinkle with nuts and raisins or brush with egg white and sprinkle with blue sugar. Bake for about 10 minutes, or until golden brown. Use a metal spatula to gentle remove each cookie from the baking sheet to a cooling rack or flat plate.

MRS. B'S CHRISTMAS BELLS

Steps:

• Make the Dough: Beat the brown sugar and butter with an electric mixer at medium speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Beat in the corn syrup, egg, cream, and lemon zest. Whisk together the flour, instant espresso, ginger, cinnamon, baking soda, and salt in a separate bowl; gradually add to the butter mixture, and beat at low speed until combined. Shape the dough into a flat disk; wrap with plastic wrap. Chill the dough until firm, at least 2 hours.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• Make the Filling: Stir together the brown sugar, maraschino cherry juice and butter until blended; stir in the pecans.
• Roll the dough to 1/8-inch thickness on a lightly floured surface. Cut with a 2 1/2-inch round cookie cutter. Place the dough circles 2 inches apart on ungreased baking sheets.
• Place 1/2 teaspoon of the filling in the center of each dough circle. Shape into a cone by folding the edges of the dough to meet over the filling; pinch the edges together. Place 1 cherry half at the opening end of each bell for the clapper.
• Bake until golden brown, about 12 minutes. Cool on the pans for 5 minutes; remove to a wire rack to cool completely.

THE NEELYS' BUTTER COOKIES

Steps:

• Sift together the flour and salt into a large bowl.
• Put the butter into the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, and beat on medium speed until fluffy and light, about 2 minutes. Add the confectioners' sugar and vanilla, and mix until combined. Reduce the speed to low, and slowly add the flour and salt mixture to the butter and sugar mixture, mixing on low speed until the dough comes together and is smooth. Turn the dough out onto a sheet of plastic wrap. Cut the dough into quarters, wrap each piece in plastic wrap, and chill in the refrigerator for 2 hours.
• When you're ready to bake the cookies, preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line two 9 by 13-inch baking sheet with parchment paper.
• Remove the dough from the refrigerator and let it soften slightly. Using a rolling pin dusted with flour, roll out one of the dough quarters, (keeping the others refrigerated until you need them), on a lightly floured work surface to 1/4- to 1/8-inch thickness. Cut the cookies into the desired shapes, and then use a metal spatula to transfer the cookies to one of the prepared baking sheets, spacing about 1 1/2 inches apart. Sprinkle the cookies with decorating sugar, if desired.
• Repeat with the remaining dough.
• Bake the cookies until they are light brown around the edges and on the bottom, 8 to 12 minutes. Cool briefly on the sheets, and use a metal spatula to transfer the cookies to a wire rack to cool completely.