Description
Delightful Sand Tarts from Joy of Cooking showcase a classic holiday cookie with buttery, crumbly texture and delicate spiced flavor. Cinnamon-dusted rounds melt in your mouth, offering a nostalgic taste of festive cheer that connects generations of bakers.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients:
- 4 Cups (480 grams) flour
- 4 eggs
- ½ pound (226 grams) butter, 2 sticks, softened
- 1 egg for egg wash
Sweetening Ingredient:
- 1 Box (3 ¾ Cups or 450 grams) 10x sugar (confectioner’s sugar)
Instructions
- Thoroughly cream softened butter and granulated sugar in a large mixing bowl until the mixture becomes light and fluffy.
- Gradually incorporate all-purpose flour and eggs into the butter mixture, stirring until a smooth, cohesive dough forms.
- Wrap the prepared dough tightly in plastic wrap and chill in the refrigerator for a minimum of 60 minutes to allow the ingredients to meld and the dough to firm up.
- Remove the chilled dough and place it on a generously floured work surface, selecting a portion approximately the size of a softball.
- Using a rolling pin, carefully roll out the dough until it reaches an ultra-thin consistency, comparable to the thickness of a compact disc or even thinner.
- Select your preferred cookie cutter and precisely cut out shapes from the rolled dough, ensuring clean and defined edges.
- Transfer the delicate cut-out shapes onto an ungreased baking sheet, spacing them slightly apart to prevent sticking.
- Gently brush the surface of each cookie with a light egg wash to create a beautiful golden sheen when baked.
- For added sweetness and visual appeal, sprinkle colorful sugar crystals over the egg-washed cookies.
- Optional: Create a fragrant cinnamon sugar topping by mixing 3 tablespoons (45 milliliters) of granulated sugar with 1 teaspoon (5 milliliters) of ground cinnamon, then evenly distribute over the cookies.
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C) and bake the cookies for 6-8 minutes, watching carefully until they develop a delicate golden color around the edges.
Notes
- Chill dough in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes to prevent spreading during baking.
- Roll out cookies uniformly using a measured rolling pin for consistent thickness.
- Melt butter completely at room temperature to ensure smooth ingredient integration.
- Experiment with different cookie shapes using fun seasonal cutters for visual appeal.
- Dust work surface lightly with flour to prevent dough from sticking and tearing.
- Allow baked cookies to cool on the sheet for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack.
- Store cookies in an airtight container to maintain freshness for up to one week.
- Use parchment paper for easy removal and minimal cleanup after baking.
- Select unsalted butter for better control of overall recipe saltiness.
- Keep ingredients at similar temperatures to help them blend more effectively.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Desserts, Snacks
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 24
- Calories: 180
- Sugar: 10 g
- Sodium: 50 mg
- Fat: 7 g
- Saturated Fat: 4 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 2 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 25 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 3 g
- Cholesterol: 30 mg