Moravian Sugar Cookies
Submitted by gboeske
Moravian sugar cookies rolled paper-thin and baked until crisp at the edges. Buttermilk keeps the dough tender while an overnight chill makes it rollable to 1/16-inch thickness for that signature wafer-like snap.
YIELD
2 dozenPREP
8 hrsCOOK
8 minREADY
8 hrsMoravian cookies are a tradition from the old Moravian settlements of North Carolina, and they’re famously, almost impossibly thin. Rolled to just 1/16 of an inch and baked for barely 6-8 minutes, they come out with a delicate snap and a buttery sweetness that disappears on your tongue.
The overnight chill is non-negotiable here. The buttermilk in the dough makes it soft and tender, but that same softness means it’s unworkable at room temperature. Eight hours in the fridge firms the butter and relaxes the gluten so you can roll it out thin without the dough fighting back or tearing apart.
Work with one-quarter of the dough at a time, keeping the rest cold. A stockinette-covered rolling pin and a well-floured pastry cloth prevent sticking at this extreme thinness. Sprinkle with superfine sugar while still warm so it sticks.
Chef Tips
- Roll to a true 1/16 inch. These cookies are supposed to be wafer-thin. If they’re thicker, they lose the characteristic crisp, light texture.
- Watch them closely in the oven. At this thickness, they go from pale to burnt in under a minute. Pull when you see the edges just starting to color.
- Superfine sugar dissolves slightly on the warm surface, creating a smooth, sweet finish. Regular granulated sugar works but has a grainier texture.
Variations
- Roll the dough to ¼ inch thickness and bake 8-10 minutes for old-fashioned teacakes, a softer, chewier version from the same dough.
- Add a teaspoon of ground ginger and a pinch of cloves for traditional Moravian spice cookies.
- Sandwich two cookies with a thin layer of chocolate ganache for an indulgent twist.
Ingredients
Directions
Cream butter; gradually add sugar, beating well at medium speed of an electric mixer.
Add egg and vanilla; beat well.
Combine 2¼ cups flour, soda, and salt; add to creamed mixture alternately with buttermilk, mixing well.
Add remaining ¼ cup flour if dough seems very sticky.
Cover and chill 8 hours.
Work with one-fourth of dough at a time, and store remainder in refrigerator.
Place stockinette cover on rolling pin; flour well.
Roll dough to 1/16-inch thickness on a lightly floured pastry cloth.
Cut with a 3-inch round cutter, and carefully place on lightly greased cookie sheets.
Bake at 375℉ (190℃) F for 6 to 8 minutes or just until cookies begin to brown around edges.
Cool slightly on cookie sheets, and sprinkle with superfine sugar.
Remove cookies to wire racks, and cool completely.
Repeat procedure with remaining dough.
Store in airtight container.
OLD FASHIONED TEACAKES: Roll dough to ¼ inch thickness.
Cut as directed above.
Bake at 375℉ (190℃) for 8 to 10 minutes.
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