I inherited a list of Christmas cookie recipes from my mother that I love and make almost every year. I’m ready to do something different this year, though. I’d like to make gingerbread men, linzer-style cookies, and stained glass window cookies.
All three are cutouts, which I don’t have a good history with. I’ve been researching technique and intend to try my best to keep things cold etc. What I need is a good cookie dough recipe that holds its shape well while baking. The gingerbread men are free to puff up all they want, that doesn’t bother me. The other two need to stay sharp though. I don’t particularl want to use an authentic linzer dough for the linzer cookies; I’m happy to use the same sugar-cookie-like dough for them and for the stained glass window cookies.
It occurs to me that the levening is a major culprit in cookies puffing up and losing definition when they bake. Can I therefore get away with a shortbread-type dough? Can I take any old sugar cookie recipe and leave out the levening?
I don’t have a recipe, sorry, but I do know from experience that cutout or molded cookies keep their shape much better if you chill them thoroughly before baking. I pop the entire cookie sheet into the refrigerator (or freezer) for a while, then put them directly into the oven. I use a butter based cookie dough - I don’t know if it works the same for shortening doughs or not.
Cook’s Illustrated base recipe for Holiday Butter cookies is what you need. The recipe is here (scroll down a bit for the “Glazed Butter Cookie” recipe)
As the site says, the superfine sugar is the key. I just process normal sugar in the food processor for 20 seconds - very easy, and makes a difference.
It’s a good base dough for all sorts of cookies, it keeps its shape while baking, and it tastes good.
I have a recipe at home from my Great-Grandmother, a fine German woman. It makes a wonderful cookie with a slight lemon flavor. I will try to remember when I get home.