Grandma’s cookies are tender and delicate, evoking the authentic taste of holiday cookies from days gone by.
Enriched with cream, these cookies stir up nostalgia for times past. The combination of cream and butter gives the dough an incredibly soft, melt-in-the-mouth texture, while vanilla and grated lemon zest provide that unique, classic holiday aroma.
Ingredients (makes approximately 35–40 cookies)
For the dough:
350 g flour (Type 405)
150 g cold butter (diced)
100 g powdered sugar (icing sugar)
1 packet vanilla sugar (or 1 teaspoon vanilla extract)
100 ml heavy cream (min. 30% fat, cold)
1 egg yolk
Zest of one lemon (thoroughly washed)
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1 pinch of salt
For decoration (optional):
Powdered sugar for dusting, or
Granulated sugar / crushed walnut halves for sprinkling before baking
Step-by-step preparation
Preparing the dough:
Sift the flour, powdered sugar, baking powder, and a pinch of salt into a mixing bowl. Add the lemon zest and vanilla sugar. Work the cold butter into the flour mixture using your fingertips until the texture resembles coarse crumbs (sandy texture).
Add the heavy cream and egg yolk, then quickly knead everything together to form a smooth dough. (Do not knead for too long, so the dough retains its delicate, crumbly texture!)
Shape the dough into a flat disc, wrap it in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 45 to 60 minutes.
Rolling out the dough and cutting out shapes:
Preheat the oven to 180°C (top and bottom heat) and line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
Roll out the dough on a floured work surface to a thickness of about 4–5 mm.
Cut out the cookies into your desired shapes (e.g., stars, Christmas trees, flowers, or simple circles). Baking:
Arrange the cookies on the baking sheets. (If desired, brush the tops with a little cream or egg white and sprinkle with granulated sugar or chopped nuts.)
Bake for 8 to 10 minutes. Keep a close eye on them: the tops should remain pale, while only the bottoms should take on a light golden color.
Serving:
The cookies are tender when they come out of the oven; let them rest on the baking sheet for a few minutes to firm up before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.
Once cooled, dust generously with powdered sugar. Storage tip:
Stored in an airtight metal tin—with sheets of parchment paper between the layers—they will retain their freshness, tenderness, and delicate texture for 2 to 3 weeks. Unless, of course, they get devoured within the first few days!
