Makesabout 8 dozen cookies
- Active time:1 3/4 hr
- Start to finish:10 hr (Includes chilling dough)
April 2009
For cookies
-
5
cups
all-purpose flour
-
2
teaspoons
baking powder
-
2
teaspoons
baking soda
-
1
teaspoon
salt
-
3
sticks (3/4 lb) unsalted butter, softened
-
2
cups
granulated sugar
-
2
large eggs
-
1 1/2
teaspoons
pure vanilla extract
-
1/2
cup
whole milk, divided
For icing
-
1/2
stick unsalted butter, softened
-
1
lb
confectioners sugar (1 box)
-
1
large egg white
-
4 1/2
tablespoons
whole milk
-
1
teaspoon
pure vanilla extract
Make cookies:
-
Stir together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
-
Beat together butter and sugar with an electric mixer at medium speed until pale and fluffy. Beat in eggs and vanilla. At low speed, mix in flour mixture in 3 batches, alternating with 1/2 cup whole milk in 2 batches and beginning and ending with flour. Divide dough into 4 portions and dust lightly with flour. Chill, wrapped in plastic wrap, 8 to 12 hours.
-
Preheat oven to 375ºF with rack in middle.
-
Roll out each portion of dough 1/4 inch thick on a well-floured surface with a floured rolling pin. Using floured cookie cutter, cut out rounds, arranging them 1 inch apart on ungreased baking sheets. (Gather and chill scraps before rerolling.) Bake, 1 sheet at a time, until pale golden, 8 to 10 minutes. Transfer cookies to a rack to cool.
Ice cookies:
-
Beat butter with an electric mixer until smooth. At low speed, mix in confectioners sugar, egg white, milk, vanilla, and a pinch of salt until very smooth and spreadable. (Icing may be colored with food coloring if desired.) Spread icing on cookies and let dry 30 minutes.
Cooks’ notes: - Cookies keep, layers separated by wax paper, in airtight containers at room temperature 1 week.
- The egg white in the icing is not cooked.