Nathan Family Butter Cookies Recipes

NATHAN FAMILY BUTTER COOKIES

Steps:

• With an electric mixer equipped with a paddle, cream the butter and sugar together. Add 2 eggs, brandy and vanilla extract.
• Gradually add salt and 3 cups flour, mixing well. Pour out onto a sheet of plastic wrap, wrap tightly, and chill for at least 1 hour or overnight.
• Heat oven to 350 degrees. Divide dough in two, and put half in refrigerator. On lightly floured surface, roll the other half into a circle 1/8 inch thick. (The thinner the dough, the better.) Cut with cookie cutters of your choice, dipping cutters in flour to prevent sticking. Transfer the cutouts to 2 ungreased cookie sheets. Repeat with the remaining cookie dough. Leave as is, or brush with egg yolk, and top with slivered almonds or egg white and tinted sugar.
• Bake in oven for 10 to 12 minutes, or until cookies are golden, turning trays front to back after 6 minutes. Remove, and cool on wire racks.

AUNT LISL'S BUTTER COOKIES

Steps:

• Child: In a bowl, cream the butter and sugar. Then mix in the eggs, brandy, salt, vanilla, and flour. Let rest for at least 30 minutes in the refrigerator.
• Adult with Child: Roll out the dough to 1/8-inch thick. Preheat oven to 350°F.
• Child: You can either use cookie cutters or use the point of a toothpick like a knife to cut out cookies in any shapes you want. Let your imagination run free; how about dreidels, Stars of David, candles with flames attached, the four Hebrew letters on the dreidel?
• Once you have cut out the cookies, gently place them on the baking sheet. Then either brush them with egg yolk and sprinkle with nuts and raisins or brush with egg white and sprinkle with blue sugar.
• Adult: Bake for about 10 minutes, or until golden brown. Use a metal spatula to gently remove each cookie from the baking sheet to a cooling rack or flat plate.