Tried this recipe after watching people bake Italian Butter Cookies on some cooking show and having a severe attack of nostalgia. I grew up in the Boston area, where they used to be sold by the pound in supermarkets. Don’t know if that’s still true. Haven’t been to Boston in ages.
It was my first time using a cookie press, and it was easier than I expected. They spread only slightly in the oven, and kept their shape nicely. They baked in the amount of time recommended by the recipe, and came off the cookie sheet easily.
They taste okay - certainly better than the stale Italian cookies you can occasionally find in supermarkets up here, which have absolutely no butter in them. I sandwiched a few of them with melted chocolate chips, thinned with a little coconut oil, and found the contrast of textures pleasing. I wanted to sandwich some with jam, but I couldn’t get the jar open. D’oh!
There are several other recipes I want to try. I also want to try adding Fiori di Sicilia. I will report on the results, mostly for my own records.
Someday I will have an open studio again, and then we’ll see if the claim holds up that these kinds of cookies freeze well.
