For all the people that said Gourmet had gotten too fancy and fell out of touch with its readers, I have three words: basic butter cookies. While combing Epicurious online, this recipe was listed as an ingredient in many of Gourmet's other cookie recipes. I was torn between a savory bread pudding and this recipe to kick off the official launch of our little project here at Gourmet, unbound. Olga was my tie breaker. The more I thought about it, this recipe was a perfect beginning. It's going back to the basics, and a reminder that ingredients do not need to be exotic—it's what you do with them that makes the difference.
It all started with butter, sugar, flour and eggs (and a pinch of baking powder, salt and pure vanilla extract). While mixing the dough, it had the taste and feel of my aunt's spritz cookie recipe except there would be no cookie press involved here. The original Gourmet recipe calls for shaping the dough into a log, then slicing and baking them. I decided to roll some of the dough and use my favorite fluted cookie cutters, planning on making jam-filled sandwich cookies—some dipped in, and others drizzled with chocolate.
I also rolled some into balls, then pressed them into colored sprinkles—reminiscent of the same butter cookies found in many Brooklyn Italian pastry shops from my childhood.
And, then I made some thumbprint cookies, filled with wild Maine blueberry jam and finished with a dusting of confectioners' sugar.
Mind if I take one more moment of your time? Starting next Monday, December 7th, I'm hosting 12 Days of Sharing, a fundraiser for Share Our Strength, over at In Jennie's Kitchen. Want to help end childhood hunger? I thought so. Get the details here, and join me in making this a happy holiday season for everyone. And thanks for tagging along with Maggie, Olga and myself on this delectable journey.
Ingredients
2 cups all-purpose flour1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 sticks (3/4 cup) unsalted butter, softened
1 cup sugar
1 large egg
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
Get the directions to make these Basic Butter Cookies - Gourmet 2003
A few notes: I only measure exact amounts for vanilla when I'm creating recipes—otherwise, I tend to eyeball it. On this particular go-round I might be guilty of upping the amount to one whole teaspoon. As for baking time, even with all the assorted shapes, the most any tray baked was 10 minutes, and the thinner sandwich cut-outs only needed 8 minutes. In general, I'd keep a close eye on baking time, and 13 minutes sounds a bit too long unless you like very well-done or thicker cut cookies.
***
Featured December Gourmet Recipes
Hungry Bruno (sweet potato latkes, 2001)
Brown Eyed Baker (chocolate sandwich cookies, 2007)
Sweet Amandine (cranberry applesauce, 2007)
The Honey Eater (chesnut & kale soup, 2003)
More December Gourmet Recipes
Gourmet, all the way (stained-glass teardrops, 2002)My Kitchen Addiction (parmesan roasted potatoes, 2000)
Gourmet Traveller (salted praline langues de chat, 2007)
The Oyster Evangelist (braised chicken with celery root & garlic, 2004)
The Gourmet Project (herbed rib roast, 2000)
East Village Kitchen (anise fougasse, 2006)
Taste As You Go (lemon orecchiette with spinach & peas, 2007)
Soup Addict (rainbow cookies, 2005)
Pretty Girls Use Knives (baked chicken with white beans & tomatoes, 2004)
The Reluctant Blogger (cranberry gin & tonics, 2006)
Whitney in Chicago (cranberry pistachio biscotti, 1992)
Editors' note: We'll be accepting submissions through December 15th, so keep them coming! Get the details here.
What a fun cookie dough to make. There are so many ways to jazz them up!
Posted by: Maria | 12/01/2009 at 12:31 PM
Those cookies look fantastic, particularly the chocolate bathed iteration! Yum.
Posted by: Joy Manning | 12/01/2009 at 12:34 PM
yay to everyone who contributed - so great to see this group effort -- beautiful entries from all!
Posted by: radish | 12/01/2009 at 01:01 PM
What a lovely post! And I love the rest of the submissions too! I didn't get my act together for this month but already have something lined up for next month! Great project.
Posted by: Mardi@eatlivetravelwrite | 12/01/2009 at 01:03 PM
What a fantastic easy recipe for cookies! I think I might give them a try for our bake sales.
Posted by: Noel Chapman | 12/01/2009 at 01:04 PM
Oh wow, those look really good!!!
I'm such a dolt and didn't pay close enough attention to the Submission Guidelines!! (I thought we'd be posting December recipes all month long)
I'll be sure to have my January recipe up and ready to go on 01/01/2010!!
Posted by: Alex | 12/01/2009 at 01:19 PM
Beautiful pictures! Seriously wonderful. I am so glad to be a small part of this project.
Posted by: Whitney | 12/01/2009 at 01:19 PM
beautiful images--really! I am planning on particpating next month. thanks for the inspiration!
Posted by: jeannebee | 12/01/2009 at 05:31 PM
Yes, Maria, it was a fun dough to work with and the possibilities are endless.
Mardi, Alex and Jeanne—no worries if you missed the December 1st submission. We'll be posting a new recipe next week and adding more links at that time, so keep on sending them to us at [email protected]!
Posted by: Jennifer | 12/01/2009 at 06:06 PM
I love butter cookies. Really is there anything better? These look beautiful.
Thank you for starting this project! As Whitney said, I'm so proud to be a small part of it.
Posted by: Naomi | 12/01/2009 at 06:33 PM
Wonderful submissions, all! Thank you for sharing!
Posted by: SoupAddict Karen | 12/01/2009 at 07:49 PM
Love going through the round-up. Can't wait to participate!
Posted by: Mrs. L | 12/02/2009 at 01:42 PM
Those are simply the best cookies every JP! I miss seeing those as a child for the holidays from my mom and grandma.
Peas Out!
~daddy b.
Posted by: daddy bookins | 12/02/2009 at 07:55 PM
i love what you've done with the cookies here. i have fond memories of getting rainbow sprinkle cookies at bakeries in ny/nj!
Posted by: Dina | 12/04/2009 at 11:04 PM
that are great cookies very easy to make and with nice a easy to get ingredients i think that i can make them real quick , and the chocolate is a nice touch to the cookies make them look real nice .
Posted by: Buy viagra | 07/27/2010 at 11:05 AM
Every tragedy makes heroes of common people.
Posted by: nike shox onine | 09/12/2010 at 06:21 PM
I made these today and thought they were fabulous. Love your writing style!
Posted by: seo services company | 02/23/2011 at 12:05 AM
All the dishes look so much hungry for me eat and let am gonna to try out in my sweet home and more happy to write comment here.
Posted by: SEO Companies | Web Design Company | 05/17/2011 at 11:57 PM
mmm. Now i'm hungry, they look so delicious
Posted by: Markus@Lecithin Benefits.org | 10/02/2011 at 05:09 PM
This is a great inspiring. I am pretty much pleased with your good work.You put really very helpful information. Looking to reading your next post.
Posted by: SEO Dubai | 02/15/2012 at 11:11 PM
Mardi, Alex and Jeanne—no worries if you missed the December 1st submission. Thank you for starting this project! As Whitney said, I'm so proud to be a small part of it.
Posted by: lunettes de soleil pas cher | 04/13/2012 at 02:23 AM
The delicious dishes ..really nice to taste.
http://www.web-designs-company.com
Posted by: Account Deleted | 04/19/2012 at 05:06 AM
basic butter cookies - december 2003 - gourmet, unbound xlvdse faqrkkb szvepd louis vuitton ssodblrm http://www.comprarbolsosdevuittonn.info/ aebbpzm jlrxd
Posted by: AvessApeway | 10/29/2012 at 12:29 PM
oiwqrnbnbdispojdmft, Forex seminar, oQDgngy, [url=http://bjsj8.com/]Trading forex signals[/url], nufkUlP, http://bjsj8.com/ Forex automatic, LElzacD.
Posted by: Learn forex online | 12/12/2012 at 04:41 PM
alxqfnbnbdispojdmft, Viagra, aEfycrb, [url=http://www.deaf-hope.org/]Viagra online uk[/url], PxQQLqv, http://www.deaf-hope.org/ Purchase viagra online, SMKDxxl.
Posted by: Female herbal viagra | 12/18/2012 at 04:44 PM