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Sand Dollar Cookies




Source of Recipe


Richard Sax


Recipe Link: http://www.clabbergirl.com

List of Ingredients




3/4 cup plus 2 Tablespoons all purpose flour
2 Tablespoons cornstarch
pinch of salt
1/4 cup packed light brown sugar
1/2 cup (one stick) cold, unsalted butter, cut into small bits
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

For the decoration:
1 tablespoon white sugar
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1 egg white
1/4 cup sliced almonds*


Recipe



Place the flour, corn starch and salt in a bowl. Mix lightly to distribute the ingredients evenly. In a separate bowl, place the brown sugar and the butter. Toss to coat the butter with the sugar and begin to work the sugar into the butter using your hands or a pastry cutter for about a minute. Add the flour mixture and pour over the vanilla. Work the butter into the flour in much the same way as making pie dough.

When the dough has come together and formed a ball, place the dough on a sheet of plastic wrap and gently pat and shape it into a log about 2 1/2 inches in diameter. Wrap tightly in the plastic wrap and refrigerate for an hour or overnight.

When ready to bake, pre-heat the oven to 375 degrees. Mix the white sugar and cinnamon together in a small bowl. Place the egg white in a small bowl. Lay the sliced almonds out on a plate to see them clearly. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper or a silpat for easier cleanup.

Cut the cold dough into 12-16 equal discs about a quarter of an inch thick. Place them an inch apart on the lined cookie sheet. A standard cookie sheet will require two batches to allow for the cookies spreading. Brush the top of the cookies with the egg white. Lay 5 perfect looking almond slices in a
five-point star pattern on each cookie. The pointed end of the almond slice points inward. Leave about 1/2 to 3/4 of an inch in the center of the almond pattern. Sprinkle about an eighth of a teaspoon of the cinnamon sugar in a small pile in the center of the cookie. When you are finished decorating the cookies, sprinkle any remaining cinnamon sugar lightly and evenly over the entire surface of each cookie.



Bake for 8 to 12 minutes, until the edges are golden brown. Cookies will become crispy and are at their best when they have cooled. Makes 12 to 16 cookies.

*I recommend starting with at least 1/2 cup of sliced almonds in order to find the perfect, elongated oval shapes necessary for the sand dollar effect.