Upon stumbling upon an article about these cookies, I became completely captivated. Though labeled as butter cookies, I'd classify them ...
Upon stumbling upon an article about these cookies, I became completely captivated.
Though labeled as butter cookies, I'd classify them more as shortbread treats. As per The Chicago Tribune, these exceptional cookies were the highlight of meals served by the Chicago Public Schools from the 1960s to the 1980s. Now hailed as a "cult classic," easily identifiable by the signature three-finger press atop the dough, Crockett Cookies revamped the original recipe by incorporating vanilla bean paste and sea salt.
The recipe, sourced from crockettcookies.com via myrecipes.com and The Chicago Tribune, underwent slight modifications in my hands. I adjusted the proportions and size, utilizing a cookie scoop to portion the dough. Additionally, I opted to bake the cookies in a convection oven. Ingeniously, Crockett Cookies markets them (along with a peanut butter variant) in grocery and specialty stores across the Chicagoland area. They've swiftly become one of my husband's top favorites, neck and neck with Tutu's! The texture is impeccable - crisp around the edges and tenderly crumbly at the center. Remarkably simple yet undeniably delicious.
Yield: Approximately 20 cookies
Ingredients:
- 2 sticks (1/2 pound) unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon vanilla bean paste (can substitute vanilla extract)
- 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
Instructions:
1. In the bowl of your stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter and sugar until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes.
2. Add the vanilla bean paste and mix to blend.
3. Mix the salt into the flour, then add to the mixer and beat on medium until combined.
4. Using a 1 1/2 tablespoon cookie scoop, form balls of dough and place on a cookie sheet lined with plastic wrap or parchment paper.
5. Using three fingers, press down on top of the dough to flatten, leaving the distinctive finger marks on the cookie. Chill the cookies in the fridge for at least an hour.
6. Preheat an oven to 375°F and prepare 2 large rimmed sheet pans with parchment paper. (I set my oven to convection.)
7. Bake for 12 minutes on convection, or up to 15 to 18 minutes in a standard oven, until lightly golden brown on the edges. Rotate the pans halfway through the baking time.
8. Cool completely on a rack on the pan then transfer to an airtight container for up to a week or freeze for up to three months.
Note: To bake at a later date, the prepped cookies can be frozen in a single layer on a sheet pan, and then transferred to a zip-top bag. Bake from frozen, adding a few minutes to the baking time.
