DURATION
Makes : 24 cookies
Prep time : 15 minutes, plus chilling and baking
½ cup (2% oz = 65 g) sugar
¼ tsp. salt
½ cup (2 oz = 55 g) shortening, room temp.
6 tbsp. (3 oz = 85 g) butter, softened
1 egg
Sweet Vanilla Buttercream Frosting
1 stick (4 oz = 8 tbsp. = 115 g) butter, softened
1½ cups (6 oz = 170 g) powdered sugar
1½ tsp. vanilla
¼ tsp. almond extract
Pinch salt
½ tsp. vanilla
¼ tsp. almond extract
2 cups (9% oz = 260 g) cake flour
Sprinkles (a/k/a Jimmies) or chopped walnuts, color matched to your frosting
Sweet Chocolate Buttercream Frosting
6 tbsp. (3 oz = 85 g) butter, softened
2½ cups (10% oz = 310 g) powdered sugar
¼ cup (2% oz = 75 g) cocoa powder
1 tsp. vanilla
¼ tsp. salt
½ cup whole milk
Line two baking sheet(s) with parchment paper.
1. Put the sugar, salt, shortening, and butter in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the
paddle blade. Beat at medium speed until white and fluffy, = 2-4 minutes.
2. Scrape down the sides, and then add in the egg and the extracts. Beat some more until
homogenous.
3. Add in the cake flour. Stir by hand until moist to avoid a flour eruption, and then beat on “low” until just, barely combined. Lumps and clumps are okay. Do not build any gluten!
4. Divide the dough into 3 even piece. Then divide each of those in half to make 6; in half again to make 12; and then in half a final time to make 24. By weight they should all be = % oz (21 g). Form into balls, roll in the sprinkles/nuts, press in the thumbprint, and then array on the lined baking sheets. Refrigerate for at least 10 minutes before baking.
On baking day, preheat the oven to 350° F (175° C).
5. Bake the cookies for at 350° for 15 minutes, or until the edges feel firm and the bottoms have gained a golden color.
6. Transfer to a wire rack. Cool completely, and then fill with your choice of buttercream.
NOTE: Make sure to use a pastry bag fitted with the star tip for your filling.
To Make The Sweet Buttercream Fillings
Sweet Vanilla Buttercream:
A. Beat the butter until soft, add in the other ingredients, stir by hand until moist to avoid an eruption, and then beat until smooth.
B. Transfer to a pastry bag, and then set aside in the fridge until ready to use.
Sweet Chocolate Buttercream:
A. Beat the butter until soft, add in the other ingredients, stir by hand until moist to avoid an eruption, and then beat until smooth.
B. Transfer to a pastry bag, and then set aside in the fridge until ready to use.
Less Sweet Buttercream Fillings
Both of these fillings are U.S. level, supermarket-sweet, which is how they are made here in Pittsburgh. Europeans will find them cloying. No question about it. But that’s easy to fix!
Less Sweet Vanilla Buttercream:
Cut the amount of sugar back to 1% cups (5 oz = 140 g), and if that is still too sweet to 1 cup (4 oz = 115 g).
Less Sweet Chocolate Buttercream:
Cut the amount of sugar back to 1½ cups (6 oz = 170 g), and the milk back to ¼ cup plus the tablespoon or so needed to get the right texture.
