Butterplätzchen

A Christmas time favorite in Germany, these cookies can be made into any shape. This recipe uses cookie cutters to cut out cookie shapes. If you don't have any cookie cutters, you can shape them by hand or use a cookie press. Likewise, you can form the dough into a log, then slice it into 1/4 inch slices.

	Photo: © Sandra Zuerlein

2 1/4 sticks (250g) Unsalted Butter
2 Eggs
1 cup Sugar
2 teaspoons Baking Powder
4 cups All Purpose Flour
1/4 teaspoon Cinnamon
1 package Vanilla Sugar

Combine flour and baking powder. Set aside.

In a large mixing bowl, beat the butter until it is smooth. Add the sugar and vanilla sugar. Continue beating until the butter has absorbed the sugar and the mixture has lightened in color. Add one egg and continue beating until the egg has been completely absorbed. Add the second egg and beat until the second egg has been absorbed. Add the cinnamon and flour mixture and beat just until all the flour has been incorporated with the butter mixture and dough looks smooth. Form the dough into a loaf and cover with plastic wrap. Refrigerate dough for 1 hour.

Preheat oven to 325°F.

Unwrap dough. Cut the dough into 4 equal pieces. You will be working with one piece at a time to prevent the dough from drying out. Keep the pieces not being worked on covered with plastic wrap. Sprinkle your work space with flour to prevent the dough from sticking to the surface. Using a rolling pin, roll out the first piece of dough to a thickness of 1/4 inch. Using cookie cutters, cut out cookie shapes. Place cookies on a greased (or parchment-paper lined) cookie sheet. Repeat these steps for the remaining dough pieces.

Bake cookies for 10-12 minutes or until cookies are golden brown. Allow them to cool completely. Decorate cookies with a glaze, icing, or melted chocolate.