A Cookie Baking Sort of Day: Norwegian Christmas Butter Squares

It has been overcast and we found ourselves with a whole day at our disposal; naturally, cookie-baking was in order.

Older Daughter found this recipe while combing through Tumbler.  She thought they were shortbread cookies, but in fact, they are the opposite of short:  these are rich & buttery but are also chewy.

Batch #1: slight too pale.

Here is the recipe which we tweaked for our scale-weighing ease:

• 240 g softened, unsalted butter
• 1 egg
• 1 tsp salt
• 240 g castor sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 240 g all-purpose flour (we added an additional 30g for a total of 270g)
• Turbinado or Raw sugar for dusting (we used Demerara sugar)

1. Preheat the oven to 200 degrees centigrade.
2. Chill a 9″ by 13″ baking tray in the freezer. Do not grease the pan (trust this instruction – we were doubtful but the cookie will come out with a little jiggling of the edges with a spatula)
3. Cream together the butter, egg, salt & sugar.
4. Add the vanilla & flour.  Mix the dough with your hands

   

   Batch #2 packed & ready to go:  Share the Yummies!

   until the mixture holds together in large clumps.  If it seems too sticky, add a little extra flour (we added 30g more).

5. Using your hands, press the dough out onto the chilled, uncreased baking sheet until it is even (about 1/4″ thick)
6. Dust the top of the cookie evenly with the raw sugar (or demerara or turbinado).
7. Bake until golden brown (approx 12-15 minutes)
8. Remove from oven and cool on a rack for 5-10 minutes.
9. Remove the cookie sheet and cut into squares (or in our case, rectangles).

Verdict: Not what we expected but a yummy outcome nevertheless!  These will be part of our Christmas baking this year!