Butter Cookies (Anna Olson's Butter and Spritz Cookies) Recipe

"While there are many similar recipes this is the one I turn to each holiday time since finding Canada's own Anna Olson's recipe in an issue of Harrowsmith. Makes great Butter Cookies which are super easy to make as well as awesome Spritz Cookies. Great for holidays as well as afternoon tea and coffee hours. My handwritten copy is well worn from years of use. Anna's recipe and instructions make spritz cookies very simple to reproduce at home for those of us not able to pick them up at her Ontario bakeries. I may have to move! Thank you Anna for adding to our Christmas 'traditions in the making'."

Original is 36 servings

Metric US

I've Tried It

Ingredients

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1 cup butter (room temperature)
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 large egg (separated, yolk for dough, reserve whites and beat for brushing tops)

1 teaspoon almond extract
2 1/2 cups all purpose flour, sifted (start with 2 1/4 cups, may need up to 2 1/2 cups of flour)
Sugar, for sprinkling (I use the white granulated, tinted is nice at holiday time)

Nutritional

Serving Size: 1 (19.1 g)
Calories 86.9
Total Fat - 5.5 g
Saturated Fat - 3.3 g
Cholesterol - 19.3 mg
Sodium - 47.4 mg
Total Carbohydrate - 8.8 g
Dietary Fiber - 0.9 g
Sugars - 2.8 g
Protein - 1.3 g
Calcium - 5.3 mg
Iron - 0.3 mg
Vitamin C - 0 mg
Thiamin - 0 mg

Step by Step Method

Step 1

Using an electric beater beat butter and sugar, beat until nice and fluffy

Step 2

Add egg yolk and almond extract, beat well

Step 3

Add 2 1/4 cups of the sifted sifted flour over the butter mixture with wooden spoon or mixer on low.(a wooden spoon works best for me) thoroughly incorporate the flour and form dough into a ball.

Step 4

Note, if dough is too sticky add 2 - 4 tablespoons flour - chill dough before moulding ( I cover bowl and chill in the fridge for 1/2 an hour) a chilled baking pan makes forming cookies much easier

Step 5

If using cookie press, press on sheet, wait a few seconds, then twist the press slightly as you lift it straight up

Step 6

NOTE: if dough is too stiff to press out beat another egg yolk into the dough - (moulding by hand you may need to use all of the 2 1/2 cups flour - flour hands lightly makes moulding by hand easier)