This recipe for Rich Roll Cookies is one I found in the 75th anniversary edition of the Joy Of Cooking given to me one year as a gift from my sons. It is a rich, buttery sugar cookie dough that rolls out easily and makes perfect cut-out cookies. I used it this year to make my Hanukkah cookies.
Here are some helpful hints to ensure success when making cut out cookies:
1. Avoid using too much extra flour in the rolling process.
2. To prevent most cookie doughs from sticking to your work surface and rolling pin, chill the dough at least 1 hour before rolling it.
3. Dust the surface with confectioner’s sugar if you prefer instead of flour.
4. Divide the dough into thirds or quarters, shape into discs, and wrap in plastic, before chilling.
5. You can refrigerate the dough for up to 2 days, or freeze up to 1 month.
6. So the cookies will bake evenly, try to keep them all about the same size and thickness.
7. Dip the cookie cutters in flour before cutting out the shapes for easy release.
8. Handle the dough as little as possible.
9. The amount of spreading, baking time and recipe yield will vary if you choose to make cookies larger or smaller than the recipe specifies.
Rich Roll Cookies (makes about 36 2-to3-inch cookies)
Beat in a large bowl until creamy:
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
2/3 cup sugar
Add and beat until combined:
1 large egg
¼ teaspoon baking powder
¼ teaspoon salt
1 and ½ teaspoons vanilla extract or almond extract
Stir in until blended:
2 and ½ cups all-purpose flour
Note: The above recipe can be doubled.
Divide the dough into thirds or quarters, shape into discs, and wrap in plastic.
Refrigerate until firm enough to roll.
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
Working with one portion of dough at a time, roll out to ¼ inch thick. Cut out cookies using 2- or 3 -inch cutters and arrange about 1 inch apart on the cookie sheets.
Reroll and cut the scraps. If desired, sprinkle the cookies very lightly with colored sprinkles, decorating sugar, or nonpareils.
Bake 1 sheet at a time, until the cookies are lightly colored on top and slightly darker at the edges, 10 to 12 minutes. Let stand briefly, then remove to a rack to cool.
