I fell in love with this dough the last time I made a tart. It’s so much like shortbread and holds its shape so well, I figured it would make a stellar cookie.
Since most of my Christmas gifts are cookie boxes, I couldn’t wait to make these a part of my gifts this year.
My inspiration for these came from a tart I made earlier this year. Instead of a regular pie crust, I tried this pâte sucrée, which is French for ’sweet dough’. Apparently, similar recipes are often used for pies and tarts in France, and after tasting it, I know why. It is delicious!
I knew this recipe was more cookie-like, so I rolled the leftover pastry dough into a couple of balls and put a thumbprint-sized bit of jam in each. I was delighted when they came out of the oven because they had a rich, buttery taste and firm texture. The dough holds its shape well while baking and doesn’t spread much—perfect for piping cookies. Ideal for Christmas cookies!
Pâte Sucrée Cookies
Ingredients
- 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 egg yolks, room temperature (save whites for another use)
- 1 tsp vanilla
- 1 tsp almond extract
Preheat oven to 350º F.
Prepare a baking sheet by lining it with parchment paper.
Add sugar, butter, and salt to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Beat on medium speed until well combined, scraping down the sides of the bowl.
Add the flour, mixing on low speed for about 1 minute, scraping the sides to incorporate the butter thoroughly. Add egg yolks, vanilla, and almond extracts and beat for about a minute more. The dough should start to pull together.
Remove the dough from the mixer bowl and place it into a bowl. Use part of it to fill a pastry bag fitted with a large star tip, such as a 1M or 2D.
Pipe the cookies on the parchment-covered baking sheet, creating shapes as desired. Mine tend to be round and rose-shaped. You can decorate them by sprinkling colored sprinkles or dropping a teaspoonful of jam in the center—my favorite.
Bake for 12-13 minutes or until golden brown. Remove cookies from the sheet pan and cool on a rack. Makes about 30 cookies.
