Popular Sugar Cookies
Submitted by cvigneri
Old-fashioned hand-shaped sugar cookies rolled into rings, scored with a knife, and finished in cinnamon sugar or with sesame seeds. A simple oil-based dough that bakes up crisp and yields about 100 cookies.
YIELD
100 servingsPREP
20 minCOOK
20 minREADY
1 hrsThese sugar cookies are an old-world style that’s mostly gone from modern recipe boxes: an oil-based dough rolled into pencil-thin ropes, twisted into rings, and gashed with a knife so they puff into shaggy circles in the oven. The shape isn’t decorative. The cuts open up during baking, increasing surface area for the cinnamon sugar to grip and the centres to dry out properly.
This dough uses oil instead of butter, which keeps the cookies firm rather than tender and gives them a long shelf life. They were built to be stored in a glass jar with a tight lid and pulled out for company over weeks.
The two-bake trick at the end is what makes them snap. After they’ve cooled, a few extra minutes back in the oven drives off residual moisture and gives them their characteristic crisp bite. Skip this step and they stay soft.
Kitchen Tips
- Let the dough rest a full 15 minutes after mixing. The flour needs time to hydrate; rushing this stage leaves a sticky mess that’s impossible to roll.
- Keep the ropes thin. Pencil-width is right. Thicker ropes bake into chewy cookies instead of crisp ones.
- For the sesame-seed version, paint the rings with beaten egg before sprinkling. The egg wash both glues the seeds on and gives a glossy bake.
- Store cooled cookies in a glass jar with a tight lid. Airtight is the difference between snappy biscuits next week and stale ones tomorrow.
Variations
- Roll in poppy seeds or chopped nuts instead of cinnamon sugar for a different finish.
- Add the zest of a lemon or orange to the dough for a bright citrus version.
- Brush the rings with honey water before baking and skip the cinnamon sugar for a glossy, lightly sweet taralli-style cookie.
Ingredients
Directions
Beat eggs. Add sugar and oil. Beat well.
Add flour and baking powder a little at a time until it forms a smooth dough.
Let dough rest about 15 minutes (until not too sticky).
Roll portions of dough into pencil logs.
Cut with a knife and close to make a circles.
Gash 4 or 5 times with a knife.
Roll into cinnamon sugar mixture, if desired, or paint with beaten egg and sprinkle with sesame seeds.
Bake at 350℉ (180℃). for 15 to 20 minutes on a lightly greased cookie sheet.
After they cool, return to the oven and let crisp a few minutes.
Store in a glass jar with a lid.
Comments
