A recent comment on Twitter by my friend pointed out that the last three cookie recipes I posted involved rolling the balls in something before baking. “Too complicated”, she complained. “How about a cookie recipe that uses 4 or five ingredients?”
As soon as she said that, I knew I’d be posting these delicious cookies. The dough involves just three ingredients, and takes minutes to throw together. The end result is a soft, almost flaky cookie that will make you nostalgic for the sprinkle covered bakery cookies of your childhood.
These cookies are endlessly versatile. While they are hot out of the oven, they are soft and somewhat pliable, so you can press something into the cookies (as I did here) or you can make an indentation to fill with jam, chocolate sauce, or anything else that suits your fancy. You can also try drizzling these with melted chocolate, or dipping them in chocolate. Really, go crazy- you won’t regret it!
I made the cookies shown here for a party to celebrate the birth of my new niece (lots more on that in a future post!), so I used pink candy, but really- be creative! One important note: these cookies are very soft and crumbly, so in the unlikely event that you have leftovers, be careful how you store them or you’ll be left with a pile of crumbs!
Bakery Style Cookies
Recipe adapted from the King Arthur Flour Cookie Companion. Original recipe was half this amount, but it makes so little (even doubled!) that I always do at least a double batch of these.
Ingredients:
2/3 cup confectioner’s sugar
1 cup butter or margarine
1/2 tsp salt (use only pinch if using margarine)
2 cups flour
jam, melted chocolate, candies or sprinkles, for decorating
Instructions:
Preheat oven to 375. Grease or line baking sheets.
Cream together the sugar and margarine. Add salt and flour, beat well to combine. Dough will be soft.
Form into small balls (about 1 inch). Place on prepared cookie sheets and bake for 13-15 minutes.
If pressing something into cookies, or if making an indentation, do so while cookies are very hot and still soft enough to shape. Place cookies on cooling rack to cool completely. Finish decorating the cooled cookie.
Enjoy!
Congratulations Auntie Overtime Cook! Looking forward to the posts involving your new niece. These lovely little cookies will tide me over though 🙂
Thanks so much Paula! I love your comments- they always make me smile! I made some gorgeous things for the party…can’t wait to show off. 🙂
Nothing beats fast dessert recipes!
These look easy enough to make. Can I make it without a mixer or just a hand mixer?
This is a great little recipe and I love the versatility of these cookies. Plus, I think I can handle four ingredients – that is crazy:-)
Overtime cook’s sister here,
The party was stunning. Thanks to her masterpieces.
Wait till you see pictures!
These are so cute, and they would be great for breast cancer awareness month, too!
Thanks so much for this recipe. I love that it is egg-free (I have an egg allergic child). I dip my cookies in sprinkles before I bake them. Btw, I totally get the baking late at night thing – I came home from playing volleyball tonight at 10, took a shower and whipped up a batch of vegan chocolate chunk oatmeal cookies. Who needs sleep 🙂 But I wish I could stop eating what I bake.
These were amazing. I didn’t have anything good for pressing into the middles so before baking I rolled the cookies in various sprinkles and colors sugar. Delicious! They froze well and are even delicious straight from the freezer (no defrost time needed) Thank you, overtime cook!!
If I am using sprinkles, do I put them on before or after I bake them?
Before.
Thanks!! I have a friend who is very allergic to so many things, including eggs. We are going there for Sukkos, so I thought this would be a perfect surprise for her.
Hi. These look so yummy, approx. how many cookies does a batch make? Thanks
I just made these and they came out delicious!
For some reason, the dough didn’t look like dough, more like crumbs. I had to squish a handful of crumbs to make each cookie.
Also, when I indented them with my thumb, they popped back out, leaving a very slight indention.
Any idea why?
Thanks!