Best Turkish Soldier Buttons Cookies Recipes

BACHELOR BUTTONS (COOKIES)

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and place a rack in the center.
• Line baking sheet with parchment paper.
• In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, or in a large mixing bowl, using a handheld electric mixer, beat the butter, salt, and powdered' sugar on medium speed until creamy.
• Reduce the mixer speed slightly and beat in the egg and vanilla.
• By hand or using the lowest speed of the mixer, stir in the flour.
• Shape the dough into ¾-inch balls and arrange 2 ½ inches apart on the prepared baking sheet. Use your finger to make an indentation in the center of each dough ball, then fill with preserves.
• Bake 1 sheet at a time for 10-12 minutes, or until the cookies are lightly browned around the edges. Let cool on the baking sheets for about 3 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

BUTTONS FOR EYES COOKIES

Steps:

• Cream together the butter and sugar. Then add the eggs and vanilla, and mix until thoroughly combined.
• Gradually add in the dry ingredients, putting in the flour a bit at a time, until the dough is all mixed.
• Divide dough in half, wrap in plastic, and chill for at least an hour.
• Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
• Roll out dough to 1/4″ thick, and cut into rounds.
• Using a straw or the tip of an icing bag, punch holes where the buttonholes would be.
• Bake for around 10 minutes, or until the edges are just turning golden.
• Remove the cookies from the baking sheet, and allow to cool completely, else the icing will run off.
• Mix the icing by beating into the powdered sugar the egg white, and just enough water to make a runny, pourable consistency - you may need to experiment a bit with this to get a great, workable batch.
• Tint to desired colors with food coloring.
• To ice the cookies, place one or two cookies at a time on a long, flat knife.
• Hold the cookies over the bowl of icing, and spoon icing over, making sure to get the sides covered.
• Allow the excess icing to drip off, then transfer the cookies to a rack over paper to catch the drips.
• Repeat until all the cookies are covered.
• Let cookies dry for several hours (if you can wait!).

TURKISH SAND COOKIES (CURABIES)

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 300 degrees. In a mixing bowl, combine sugar, oil, baking soda and cinnamon. Add nuts and flour and knead together for 2 minutes until the dough is soft and smooth.
• Shape dough into walnut sized balls or triangles and place 1" apart on an ungreased cookie sheet. Bake 30 minutes until barely browned. Remove from oven and allow to cool before moving. Sift confectioners sugar over tops when completely cooled.
• Keeps well for a week in a tightly sealed container.