Two of our dear family friends, who’s grandparents were originally from Norway, brought these delicious but very easy and amazingly wonderful cookies to our house for a holiday party. This Christmas I asked the two sisters for the recipe that uses a dough their mother often made as a basis for many Scandinavian cookies. These cookies involve making a ribbon of dough and filling it with raspberry jam, then cutting the ribbons of cooked dough into individual cookies. They look very difficult but are actually not very complicated. You will want to make this recipe part of your family’s celebrations each year.
Butter Cookie Dough
Pillulepienperustaikina- Finland
This basic dough can be shaped and prepared many different ways. Carrie and Linda’s mother also made this dough for Spitz cookies which are simply this dough pressed through a cookie press, sprinkled with colored sugar and baked 10-12 minutes.
Ingredients
1 cup butter, room temperature
1/2 cup sugar
1 egg, slightly beaten
2-1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon salt
1-2 teaspoons water if needed
Method
In a mixer with a paddle attachment or food processor fitted with a metal blade, mix butter, sugar, egg, flour, vanilla and salt together until a smooth, pliable cookie dough forms. (I cream my butter and sugar together for a few moments in the mixer before adding the other ingredients.) Gather dough into a ball; knead slightly. Wrap in plastic wrap, refrigerate 30 minutes or until ready to use.
Dough can be stored in refrigerator for up to 1 week.
Use dough in the following recipe for Raspberry Ribbons.
Yield: 2 cups of dough.
Raspberry Ribbons
Hindbaerkager- Denmark
These jam-filled cookie ribbons are a quick way to add color to the cookie tray.
Ingredients
Butter Cookie Dough (See Above)
1/2 cup raspberry jam
1/2 cup powdered sugar
2 tablespoons milk
Method
Preheat oven to 375 F.
Divide cookie dough into fourths. Rolling each between your fingers on a lightly floured surface, shape the dough into ropes about 1/2 inch thick. Place ropes on an ungreased baking sheet about 2 inches apart. With the side of your little finger, press a long groove down the length of each strip. Bake 10 minutes.
Pipe or spoon jam into groove. Bake 5 to 10 minutes longer or under the edges are lightly browned.
In a small bowl, beat powdered sugar and milk together to make a glaze. Brush or drizzle glaze over hot cookies. Cut logs diagonally into 1 inch slices. (I use a pizza cutter).
Yield: About 96 cookies.