Seeking Input From Cookie Experts

[blazedog]

I subscribe to a newsletter from a cookie cutter company and this month's recipe was for a cookie with a lot of cornstarch. I've only had cornstarch as a major ingredients in the Mexican teacake, Russian teacake, Greek type cookies which are rolled into balls and then baked. They do have a divine unearthly texture.

Any thoughts on how this would work as a rolled cookie?

Sandy Sugar Cookies

I found this recipe in a magazine and was intrigued by the use of cornstarch -- had to try it, and by golly they are good!

2 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup cornstarch
1/2 t. salt
2 1/2 sticks unsalted butter - softened
3/4 cup sugar
1 t. finely grated fresh lemon zest
3/4 t. vanilla

Whisk flour, cornstarch and salt in a bowl.
Beat butter and sugar in a large bowl with an electric mixer until fluffy -- about 2 minutes.
Reduce speed to low and add zest and vanilla. Mix until combined.
Add flour mixture and mix until soft dough forms.

Gather dough into ball and flat into a 7-inch disk. Chill until firm -- 4 to 24 hours.
(OK, you know what I did here -- rolled the unchilled dough on between sheets of parchment paper and then
chilled it)
Bring dough to room temp and roll on lightly floured board to 1/4" thickness -- unless you took my advice.
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Cut with fluted round cutter or cutter of your choice.
Sprinkle with colorful sanding sugar.
Place on ungreased baking sheets about 1 inch part. Bake 10 to 12 minutes or until pale golden.
Reroll scraps and cut as above.

Cooled cookies, kept in an airtight container can be kept up to a week.

Recipe makes about 3 dozen medium sized cookies.

[annagins]

I haven't ever tried that recipe, but my very favorite shortbread recipe is rolled and has cornstarch. The texture is sandy. Have you ever eaten a Keebler Pecan Sandie cookie? The texture is like that -- crumbly, dense and flavorful.

This one comes from a woman named Lennie who used to post a lot on Recipezaar. It's her signature shortbread recipe and it is outstanding.

Lennie’s Shortbread

1 cup butter, cold (I break out the Plugra for these)
1/2 cup confectioners sugar
1/2 cup cornstarch
1 1/2 cup flour
1/2 teaspoon vanilla

Chop butter into chunks. Process butter and sugar in Cuisinart until creamy. Add remaining ingredients and process just until mixed.
Cut in shapes. Bake at 350 for 12-15 minutes.

[valchemist]

I agree with anna. the only kind of rolled cut out cookies I ever make are shortbread cookies (which is what your recipe is) because the dough handles so nicely.

this is a recipe that I love...


* Exported from MasterCook *

Sadie's Shortbread Cookies

Recipe By :
Serving Size : 0 Preparation Time :0:00
Categories : Cookies Desserts


Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method
-------- ------------ --------------------------------
1/2 lb. butter
3/4 cup powdered sugar
2 cups cake flour
3/4 cup cornstarch
1 pinch salt

Cream butter and sugar till light coloured and fluffy. Add other
ingredients and mix until well combined.
Knead dough gently in bowl, then divide and press into manageable portions.
Wrap each in plastic wrap.
Roll dough about 1/4 inch thick on lightly floured board and cut into shapes
using cookie cutters. Decorate.
Bake on ungreased cookie sheets in a preheated 275° oven for approximately
20 minutes, or until firm to the touch. Do not let brown. Check at 15
minutes.
Let cookies cool on pan for 5 minutes before transferring to racks to cool.
Store in airtight container. Buttery flavour improves as cookies sit.

They stay really white, which is why you bake
them at such a low temperature. You don't want them to change colour at
all. My mother's were always perfect...smooth, white, and nice and thick.
Mine are never as consistently perfect as hers, but the last few years have
been my best and I think it's because I've made them thicker...at least 1/4
inch...and I watch them carefully. They roll easily and it doesn't hurt to
handle the dough.





- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Per Serving (excluding unknown items): 2343 Calories; 184g Fat (69.8% calories from fat); 2g Protein; 177g Carbohydrate; 1g Dietary Fiber; 497mg Cholesterol; 2018mg Sodium. Exchanges: 6 Grain(Starch); 37 Fat; 6 Other Carbohydrates.

NOTES : sadie: It makes up into a firm cookie with a velvety texture rather than a crispy texture. It's different from a Scottish shortbread and some of the other kinds I make. they don't puff and spread
and keep their cookie cutter shape. And they're a sturdy shortbread. They
improve with age...the butter seems to mellow and so my mom and I have
always made them a few weeks before Christmas. What is different about
these cookies is the colour.

compare this to simply the best shortbread. or lennie's shortbread (very similar looking recipe).

my notes: really good. I love the white color. they are very velvety and buttery and delicious. the dough is easy to work with and you don't need to refrigerate it. it does dry out if you don't wrap it though. I used 1 1/2 cups cake flour and 1/2 cup of regular flour because I ran out of cake flour.
Nutr. Assoc. : 0 0 0 0 0