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Basic dough for Christmas cookies

Basic dough for Christmas cookies

Baking

A basic shortbread dough that can be customized to your liking: with cocoa, spices, walnuts, jam, or icing, for delicious, crispy, and golden-brown cookie…

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Recipe from Mjchael, Schnobby, Nowotoj and 6 other contributors (Wikibooks), adapted by Recette de cuisine · · updated on

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This German-style dough can be customized endlessly with flavors, spices, cocoa, or dried fruits. Once rolled out, it can be cut into shapes using cookie cutters. The cookies bake in just a few minutes.

Ingredients and directions

  • Prep time40 min
  • Cook time7 min
  • Resting30 min
  • Total1 hr 17 min
  • DifficultyEasy
  • CostBudget
  • Cooking methodfour
  • Estimated cost$77.37 $1.55 / serving Estimated price; varies by store. Converted from euros at the ECB rate of October 7, 2026.
  • Vegetarian

Ingredients

50 people

Basic dough

  • $1.32
  • $0.56
  • $1.74
  • $1.40
  • $0.19
  • $0.09
  • $1.65
  • $1.56

Optional variations

  • $14.74
  • $4.79
  • $1.77
  • $6.31
  • $0.70
  • $6.05
  • $7.85

Finishing

  • $2.38
  • $1.77
  • $15.87
  • $6.63

Prices from US supermarkets for 9 of 19 ingredients; Belgian prices for the rest.

Directions

  1. Melt the butter at room temperature in a saucepan, but do not heat it too much; it should only become slightly liquid.
  2. When the butter is almost melted, remove it from the heat, add the sugar and eggs, and then mix with an electric mixer until a smooth cream forms. ≈ 4 min
  3. Gradually incorporate the flour, yeast, flavorings, and salt. ≈ 4 min
  4. First, mix a small portion of the flour, then the other ingredients, and finally the remaining flour, to ensure even distribution. ≈ 10 min
  5. Divide the dough into portions and mix in any optional ingredients. Then, you can assess the consistency of the dough. ≈ 10 min
  6. Let the dough rest for about 30 minutes.
  7. Re-knead by hand: the warmth of your hands allows the air to escape and the dough to become pliable again. It should be smooth and release easily from the work surface. ≈ 10 min
  8. Grease the work surface and the dough, then roll it out thinly and cut out the cookies. ≈ 8 min
  9. Bake for 6 to 7 minutes in a preheated oven at 200 °C, until the cookies are lightly browned.
  10. If the dough is too dry or the cookies are crumbly, add 1-2 more eggs, or a little water or milk. ≈ 10 min

The bill

Basic dough for Christmas cookies

  • 1 kilogram of flour$1.32
  • 500 g of sugar$0.56
  • 500 g of butter or margarine$1.74
  • 4 large eggs (or 6 small eggs)$1.40
  • 2 packets of baking powder$0.19
  • 2 packets of vanilla sugar$0.09
  • flour for flour, work surface$1.65
  • butter or margarine to grease the pan$1.56
  • unsweetened cocoa$14.74
  • grape$4.79
  • Candied orange and lemon peels$1.77
  • honey (to be used in place of sugar, by weight)$6.31
  • instant coffee$0.70
  • Various jams$6.05
  • food coloring$7.85
  • powdered sugar$2.38
  • lemon juice$1.77
  • Chocolate and sugar vermicelli$15.87
  • Shaped almonds$6.63

Total$77.37

that's $1.55 per person

Estimated price; varies by store.

Equipment

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Before you start

Ingredients

  • 1 kilogram of flour
  • 500 g of sugar
  • 500 g of butter or margarine
  • 4 large eggs (or 6 small eggs)
  • 2 packets of baking powder
  • 2 packets of vanilla sugar
  • 2 pinches of salt
  • flour for flour, work surface
  • butter or margarine to grease the pan
  • Bakery flavors (lemon, butter vanilla, rum, almond, orange)
  • unsweetened cocoa
  • grape
  • Baking spices: cinnamon, gingerbread spices, anise
  • Ground walnuts and almonds
  • shredded coconut
  • Candied orange and lemon peels
  • honey (to be used in place of sugar, by weight)
  • instant coffee
  • Various jams
  • food coloring
  • powdered sugar
  • lemon juice
  • chocolate glaze
  • Chocolate and sugar vermicelli
  • Shaped almonds

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