Barbaras Tea Cakes Cookies Recipes

TEA CAKE COOKIES

Steps:

• Gather the ingredients and preheat the oven to 350 F.
• Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat, or grease lightly.
• Combine the sugar and butter in a mixer bowl, beating until light and fluffy.
• Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition.
• In another bowl, combine the flour, ​baking soda, cream of tartar, and salt.
• Add the dry ingredients to creamed mixture and mix well.
• Shape the cookie dough into small balls and arrange on the prepared cookie sheet.
• Press flat with the bottom of a glass. Optional: Dip the glass in sugar before flattening each cookie and use a small square of parchment paper so the glass won't stick to the dough.
• Bake for 10 minutes.
• Serve and enjoy.

BARBARA'S TEA CAKES (COOKIES)

Steps:

• Cream together sugar & shortening until fluffy.
• Add eggs & vanilla. Mix well.
• Sift dry ingredients together.
• Add alternately to mixing bowl with the milk.
• Beat until well mixed.
• Dump onto lightly floured surface & knead until dough is smooth.
• Place in sealed bag or covered bowl. Chill several hours.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
• Roll dough on floured surface taking care to not add too much flour. The thinner the cookie the crispier it will be. I prefer them softer so leave my dough about 1/4-1/3 inch thick.
• Cut as desired. Place on ungreased cookie sheets with room to expand. Rolling the scraps together take care to not overwork the dough. The additional flour makes the cookies tougher.
• Bake approx 10 minutes or until done & lightly brown. They should still be very white.
• Cool a few minutes & then remove to cookie racks to finish cooling before decorating.
• Glazing; Sift the powdered sugar to remove all lumps. Stir in the vanilla & the milk a tablespoon at a time. Whisk together until the desired consistency is reached. To use as a glaze I make it about the thickness of pancake batter. It is NOT spreadable like a frosting. Color as wanted to provide the background color.
• Lay the cookies as close as possible on wax paper. Spoon the glaze over the cookies sparingly. Use the spoon to smooth the glaze to the edges of the cookies. Let dry.
• If more decorating is planned the glaze does support both buttercream & royal icings.

TEA CAKE COOKIES

Steps:

• Beat the butter at medium speed with an electric mixer until creamy; gradually add the sugar, beating well. Add the eggs 1 at a time, beating until blended after each addition. Add the vanilla, beating until blended.
• Combine the flour, baking soda and salt; gradually add the flour mixture to the butter mixture, beating at low speed until blended.
• Divide the dough in half; wrap each portion in plastic wrap and refrigerate 1 hour.
• Heat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. Roll half of the dough out to 1/4-inch thickness on a floured surface. Cut out cookies with a 2 1/2-inch round cutter, and place 1 inch apart on the prepared baking sheets. Bake until the edges begin to brown, 10 to 12 minutes, rotating the sheets and switching their positions halfway through baking time. Let cookies stand on baking sheets 5 minutes. Transfer to wire racks to cool. Repeat procedure with remaining dough.

RUSSIAN TEA CAKES / MEXICAN WEDDING CAKES (COOKIES)

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. Set aside.
• Toast nuts. Place nuts on a separate baking sheet and bake for about 8 minutes (or until lightly brown and fragrant) in a 350 degree F oven. Cool.
• Once the nuts have cooled completely place them, along with 2 tablespoons of the flour for the recipe, into your food processor, fitted with a metal blade, and process until they are finely ground (but not a paste). Or the nuts can be hand chopped until very fine. Set aside.
• In the bowl of your electric mixer (or with a hand mixer), cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy (about 2 minutes).
• Beat in the vanilla extract.
• Add the remaining flour and salt and beat until combined.
• Stir in the nuts.
• Cover and refrigerate the dough for about 1 hour or until firm.
• Once the dough is firm, form the dough into 1 inch (2.54 cm) balls and place 2 inches (5 cm) apart on the prepared baking sheets.
• Bake about 12-15 minutes, or until the edges of the cookies start to brown.
• Remove from oven and place on a wire rack to cool for about 5 minutes.
• Roll the semi-cool cookies in the sifted powdered sugar and return to rack to cool completely.
• Store in airtight container for up to 10 days.

GRANDMA'S OLD FASHIONED TEA CAKES

Steps:

• In a medium bowl, cream together the butter and sugar until smooth. Beat in the eggs one at a time, then stir in the vanilla. Combine the flour, baking soda, salt and nutmeg; stir into the creamed mixture. Knead dough for a few turnns on a floured board until smooth. Cover and refrigerate until firm.
• Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C). On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough out to 1/4 inch in thickness. Cut into desired shapes with cookie cutters. Place cookies 1 1/2 inches apart onto cookie sheets.
• Bake for 8 to 10 minutes in the preheated oven. Allow cookies to cool on baking sheet for 5 minutes before removing to a wire rack to cool completely.

BARBARA'S CARDAMOM COOKIES

Steps:

• Cream 1 cup butter and the granulated and brown sugars until fluffy.
• Add the egg yolk and 1 teaspoon vanilla, mix well.
• Stir in the flour, cardamom and salt.
• Spread in an ungreased 10 x 15" baking pan.
• Beat the egg white until bubbly but not forming peaks.
• Brush the dough with the egg white and sprinkle with the chopped nuts.
• Bake at 275°F for 1 hour.
• In a saucepan, melt the 1 1/2 Tablespoon butter until it browns slightly, remove from heat.
• Beat in 1 cup confectioner's sugar and the 1/2 teaspoon vanilla.
• Add enough milk to make a"drizzling" consistency.
• Drizzle on baked dough.
• Cut into bars.

TEA CAKES

Steps:

• In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in vanilla. Combine the flour, baking powder and salt; gradually add to the creamed mixture (the dough will be soft). , Drop by teaspoonfuls 2 in. apart onto greased baking sheets. Bake at 375° for 7-8 minutes or until the edges are golden brown. Remove to wire racks to cool.