Alphabet Cookies
Submitted by MTL_DUDE
Alphabet cookies shaped by hand from a simple butter cookie dough rolled into ropes. A fun baking project for kids that doubles as a tasty learning activity.
YIELD
4 servingsPREP
10 minCOOK
10 minREADY
20 minThese butter cookies are made for little hands. The dough chills until firm, then kids roll it into ropes and shape letters, numbers, or whatever their imagination comes up with. It’s part baking project, part arts and crafts, and the results actually taste great.
The dough itself is a straightforward butter cookie base: creamed butter and sugar, egg, vanilla (or almond extract for a nuttier flavor), and flour with baking powder. After 30 minutes in the fridge, it handles like modeling clay, firm enough to roll into thin ropes without sticking.
A brush of milk and a sprinkle of sugar before baking gives each letter a light sparkle and a slightly crispy surface. Ten minutes in the oven and they’re done. Let them cool completely on a rack before handling, since the thin letter shapes are fragile while warm.
Kitchen Tips
- Chill the dough the full 30 minutes. Warm dough sticks to hands and won’t hold its shape on the baking sheet.
- Roll the ropes on a lightly floured surface to prevent sticking. Keep them an even thickness so the cookies bake uniformly.
- Make the letter strokes roughly the same width. Thin connections (like the crossbar on an A) will bake faster and can burn before the thicker parts are done.
- Space the letters apart on the sheet. They spread slightly and touching letters will fuse together.
Variations
- Colored dough: Knead a few drops of food coloring into separate dough portions for a rainbow alphabet.
- Chocolate version: Replace ¼ cup of flour with cocoa powder for chocolate letter cookies.
- Spelling snacks: Spell out names or short words on the baking sheet as personalized party favors or lunchbox treats.
Ingredients
Directions
Use an electric mixer and beat butter until soft.
Add ¾ cup sugar and beat until fluffy.
Add egg and vanilla or almond flavoring and beat again.
Mix flour, baking powder, and salt together and add to butter-sugar-egg mixture a little bit at a time.
Divide the dough into 2 parts, wrap in plastic wrap and put in the refrigerator for 30 minutes to get hard enough to play with like modeling clay.
Then make small balls of dough and roll into ropes.
Shape the ropes into numbers or letters on an ungreased cookie sheet, leaving a little space between them.
Brush with a little milk, sprinkle on a bit of sugar and bake at 375℉ (190℃) F for about 10 minutes.
Cool on a rack.
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