Maria Mannherz's Ausstecherle (Cut-outs)

Category: Cookies Region: Germany Swabia American measurements

Ingredients

• 475 mL (1 lb, 4 sticks) butter
• 475 mL (1 lb.) sugar
• 7 large egg yolks (reserve 1 white for glazing cookies)
• 120 mL sour cream (can substitute 2 whole eggs)
• 1.9 L (2 lb., 1 box) cake flour
• 0.5 tsp baking powder

Directions

Note: Do not double this recipe.

Cream the butter until very light. Add sugar; cream butter and sugar until combined. Add egg yolks and sour cream and beat until combined.

Slowly add flour and baking powder (even with the pouring shield on my mixer, I still get flour all over the table if I add too quickly). Mix on low speed until dough is uniform. Refrigerate until cold (about one or two hours).

Preheat oven to 160 degrees C. Roll out some dough to about 3/8 of an inch thick. Refrigerate remaining dough. Cut cookies and place on ungreased cookie sheet. Brush with egg white or beaten whole egg. Bake 15 minutes until golden; watch carefully!

Note: If you use jumbo eggs or are baking in a hot, humid (i.e. Florida) kitchen, reduce yolks to 6.

Note: A stand mixer works best. Most hand mixers don't have the power to work with this much cookie dough. If using a hand mixer, add the last bit of flour by hand.