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December, 2006
Butter Cookie Dreidels
2-1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 t. salt
1/2 c. sugar
1/2 c. chilled unsalted butter or frozen unsalted pareve margarine
1 t. vanilla extract
1 T. water
1 large egg
SIMPLE ICING:
1-1/2 c. powdered sugar
2 T. skim milk, or water
1 t. vanilla extract
food coloring
Preheat the oven to 350° F, with racks in the middle and lower third of the
oven. Have two nonstick or sprayed cookie sheets available.
Place the flour, salt, and sugar in a food processor bowl. Process for a few
seconds to mix the dry ingredients.
Cut the butter into 1/2-inch chunks and scatter on top of the flour.
Pulse-process until the butter is cut into the flour so that the mixture looks
like coarse meal.
In a small bowl, combine the vanilla extract, water, and egg. Whisk lightly to
blend. With the processor running, add the egg mixture through the feed tube.
Continue to process until the dough just starts to clump together. If the dough
is too dry to come together, add more water, 1 teaspoon at a time. The dough
won't ball up in the bowl, but it should start to clump, and should come into a
ball with the heat of your hands as you push it together. Wrap the dough in
plastic wrap and let it rest for 15 minutes.
Roll the dough (can be done in a floured jumbo zip top bag) to a scant 1/8 inch
thick. Cut with a dreidel-shaped cookie cutter, and place on the cookie sheets.
Bake for 5 minutes, switch the cookie sheets top to bottom, and bake another 4
to 7 minutes, until the edges are just starting to brown. Remove the cookies
from the pan, and cool them on a wire rack.
For the icing, sift the powdered sugar Into a medium bowl. Whisk in the milk and
vanilla until smooth. The icing should be very thick but thin enough to spread.
If it is not thin enough, add more milk by the 1/2 teaspoonful until the icing
is the right consistency. Spread the cookies with icing (a small decorating
spatula works best). If you are going to use sprinkles, sprinkle them on while
the icing is still wet so they will stick well. If not using sprinkles, let the
icing dry. Add color to the remaining icing (I like to use a rich blue) and
paint on the dreidel letters using a fine artist's brush. For a great-looking
accent, sprinkle small, fine sprinkles, such as multicolored tiny balls, on the
wet lettering (larger sprinkles, such as chocolate sticks, will obscure the
letters). If you prefer, the dreidel letters can be painted on un-iced cookies.
In all cases, let the decorations dry before storing the cookies. Cookies can be
made 1 day ahead, or frozen for up to 3 months.
Makes about 50 cookies
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