Old Dutch Sand Tarts Recipes

SAND TART COOKIE RECIPE, PA DUTCH COOKIES

Steps:

• Cream butter, add sugar and beat until fluffy.
• Add eggs and vanilla. Mix well.
• Combine dry ingredients and add to butter mixture. Mix until combined.
• Wrap the dough into parchment paper and chill in the refrigerator for at least two hours.
• Preheat the oven to 350°.
• Spread the chilled dough onto a floured countertop. Roll it out to about 1/8" thick (adding flour as needed to keep the cookies from sticking).
• Using cookie cutters, cut them into shapes and carefully transfer the cookies to greased or parchment-lined baking sheets.
• Brush each cookie top with well-beaten egg wash.
• Sprinkle the tops of the cookies with cinnamon/sugar mixture and place a pecan or walnut halve on top, or sprinkle with chopped nuts. Or if you prefer, sprinkle the tops with Christmas sprinkles.
• Bake for 8 - 10 minutes. Let them rest for about a minute then transfer the cookies to a wire rack to cool.

LITTLE DUTCH TARTS

Steps:

• Pre-heat oven to 375 degrees F.
• For Pastry Crust.
• Whisk together the flour and salt.
• Cut butter into pats and add to flour mixture.
• Using a pastry blender or your fingers, cut the butter into the flour mixture until the mixture is mealy with pea-sized lumps.
• Add the ice water and knead the dough slightly to bring it together and form a ball.
• Chill dough for 30 minutes.
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• For Filling.
• Combine the almond paste and sugar (it will be very stiff so you will have to mix it with your fingers); add the egg and mix until well-combined.
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• To Make Tarts.
• Pull off enough dough to make a 1/2 to 3/4-inch ball.
• Place ball of dough into cup of non-stick or lightly greased muffin/tart pan (with 1 to 1 1/2-inch sized cups).
• Using a tart shaper (dipped in flour to prevent sticking) press into center of ball, flattening the bottom and forcing dough up sides of muffin cup. If you don't have a tart shaper use your thumb or other rounded tool instead.
• Be careful not to make dough too thin on bottom. Fill in any accidental thin spots with small pieces of dough pressed into place.
• Repeat for remaining muffin cups.
• Return any remaining dough to refrigerator until ready to make next batch to keep it from getting to soft.
• Place almond filling in pastry bag or plastic bag with a hole cut in one corner and pipe filling into pastry cups, filling them up about 3/4 of the way full (filling with puff up some during baking).
• Bake 15-20 minutes, or until crust is lightly browned.
• Let cool in pan before removing tarts.
• If desired, spinkle tops with powdered sugar after cool.

GRANDMOM'S SAND TARTS

Steps:

• Cream the butter, sugar and eggs together. Add just enough flour to stiffen. Dough should be slightly sticky. Place dough in the refrigerator and let chill overnight.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). In a very small bowl combine the egg white and the milk. Set aside.
• Remove small amount of dough from the refrigerator and on a lightly floured surface roll it out very thin. Cut out rounds with a biscuit cutter or drinking glass dipped in flour. Place cookies on a cookie sheet and paint the top with the egg white mixture. Sprinkle with cinnamon sugar, and top with a pecan half. Repeat until all the dough is used up.
• Bake at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for 10 minutes and the edges are slightly browned. Watch these cookies closely for they burn very easily.