French Butter Cookies
By Kim Morgan • Aug 28th, 2008 • Category: Desserts •
There is nothing like homemade cookies to make your week brighter. Especially if they are accompanied by the pleasure of watching your loved ones dive head first into the cookie jar-over and over again. Cookies have a great smell as they bake in the oven and the smell continues to linger as they come out hot while they sit proudly on the rack cooling. That is if you can wait long enough to let them cool. Which I can’t, and I am not ashamed to admit this. Not even the threat of a scorched tongue can stop me from sampling cookies hot out of the oven.
Virginia Willis’s French Butter Cookies looked and smelled so good that I had all I could do to wait till they were moved to the rack. Wanting to grab one off the cookie sheet would have been a painful act-one in which I contemplated doing, more than once. In fact Virginia suggests that you let the cookies cool completely, good luck with that one as there was no way that I was going to wait that long.
Like all of Virginia’s recipes they come with an enchanting story or tidbit. As I read the story, I knew I wanted to make these French Butter Cookies as soon as possible. In fact I must confess, and I am so so sorry. But, I have been baking a fresh batch of about eight French Butter Cookies every night this week in order to enjoy the whole process of oven-to-rack-then-to-me and have kept it to myself. It was not my intension to hold back the recipe and I am revealing it now so that you can follow in my footsteps and treat yourself to a warm batch for a few nights.
These are a snap to make and require just a touch of planning. As the dough most defineately needs to chill for a few hours, especially if you live down South and are still fighting the warm weather. Sweet and buttery, light and crumbly they melt in your mouth and eating just one is not possible.
But don’t take my word on this and miss out. No, you must try them yourselves and see first hand the many joys of Southern baking and imminent weight gain. So, thank-you Virginia Willis for yet again, another gem out of your cookbook- Bon Appetit, Y’All: Recipes and Stories from Three Generations of Southern Cooking
French Butter Cookies
Virginia Willis, Bon Appetit, Y’All: Recipes and Stories from Three Generations of Southern Cooking
2 cups all purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon cream of tarter
1/2 cup unsalted butter (1 stick)
1/2 cup solid vegetable shortening (crisco at room temp)
1 1/2 cups confectioners’ sugar
1 large egg, room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
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In a bowl, sift together the flour, salt, baking soda, and cream of tarter. Set aside.
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In a bowl of a heavy duty mixer fittd with the paddle, cream the butter and shortening on medium speed till light and fluffy.
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Add the confectioners’ sugar and beat on low speed until smooth.
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Add the egg and vanilla extract and continue beating on low until well combined.
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On low speed, slowly add the reserved dry ingredients. Beat well till combined.
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Cover the dough with plastic wrap and transfer to the refrigertor and chill until very firm, at least 2 hours.
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Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
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Using a melon baller or small ice cream scoop, take some dough and shape into 1 inch balls.
(Keep remaining dough in the refrigerator, as it must stay chilled) -
Place the dough balls on an ungreased cookie sheet and press with the tines of a fork to flatten.
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Bake until pale golden, but not brown for 10 to 12 minutes.
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Cool slightly on the baking sheet on a rack.
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Then, using a spatula, transfer the cookies to the rack to cool completely.
Kim Morgan is the aspiring writer, photographer & passionate cook of ayankeeinasouthernkitchen.com; she is currently cooking Southern food, one stick of butter at a time.
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Hehe what a cute name for a recipe book! And the cookies look that perfect pale “blonde”!
Lovely cookies! They look so good and delicate…
Cheers,
Rosa
Those look delicious. Just need some shortening and I’m ready to make these!
Now, you ma’am are causing trouble! I just swore off land o’lakes butter cookies after making several batches and now this! They look delicious. We will have to try them soon.
You’ve inspired me so much from this cookbook, it’s on hold for me at the library right now. I just need to pick it up and head to the grocery!
Huh! I just noticed the check spelling button below. That’s a good reminder, as it makes me nuts to read my posted comment to see an error.
– Michele
My oh my, what a lovely stack you’ve got!
Wow, I just adore grid marks on cookies! Another amazing down-home recipe!
I think you need a little French to come and try them out
what an awesome little cookie–i can almost imagine it melting in my mouth! yeah, i have no doubt that these would improve even the worst day.
I love Butter cookies, with a nice cup of tea, hits the spot! I can see why you kept them to yourself to savor.
Kim - these look lovely - it must have cooled off a bit there if you’re running the oven every night! I just took a run at some homemade ice cream and I bet these cookies would be fabulous along side. Thanks for all the inspiration you provide!!
I know just by looking that these are the type of cookies that I would never be able to let sit and cool! Of course, I guess I might say that for *all* types of cookies…but especially these
Hey there - I love, love, love these cookies. They last for weeks in an airtight container - if you don’t eat them all. I am so glad everyone is excited about these cookies and my cookbook!
Bon Appetit Y’all!
Best, Virginia Willis!
As all your post do, these tempt me to crank up the oven right now. Your descriptions and photos are fabulous. Have a great weekend!
Oh.My. These look positively delectable. What a glorious stack of sweetness!!
I absolutely loved everything about this post, from the wonderful photos to the description of how good these cookies are going to be when I bake them up myself, tonight.
Thank you!!!
Kim, the cookies look so yummy! I love the photos!
I needed something sweet to take to my mother’s for labor day–this does the trick!! I thought they were peanut butter from the first photo!
What a gorgeous photo! I love cookies like these, especially when they’re in a cookie jar just waiting to be paired with a cold glass of milk.
these look wonderful! I’m a big fan of chilling cookie dough before baking — it keeps them nice and moist.
OMG these look ridiculous! I have got to try these.. your pics made my mouth water..
LEVI WOULD LOVE THESE! Ok, I would too! Too bad he is not here to see MiMi’s new blog. He would definately want some. They look absoulutely perfect. I am fiending for some cookies now.
My mouth is watering just looking at those beauties! Yum!
I agree - how can you resist the smell of homemade cookies. To not eat one while it is hot is nearly impossible. These look delicious!
I have never made a butter cookie, those pictures looks so light and tender.I want to try these soon!
They seem to have the perfect texture, at least perfect to me! You’re right, there’s nothing like homemade cookies!