These may just be the easiest cookies in the world to make! They are extremely versatile, and lend themselves to a myriad of different fillings, shapes, and ideas!
The basic:
- 3 1/2 cups unsifted flour
- 1 tbsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 can sweetened condensed milk
- 3/4 cup butter
- 2 eggs
- 1 tbsp vanilla
Mix dry ingredients. Beat sweetened condensed milk, butter, eggs and vanilla until well blended. Add dry ingredients. Mix well. Chill 2 hours.
On floured surface, divide dough into thirds. Roll each portion to 1/8" thickness. Cut with favorite cookie cutters. Place on parchment-lined (or greased) cookie sheets, about 1" apart. Bake at 350° for 7-9 minutes.
Now for the fun stuff...
You can add different flavorings in place of the vanilla... lemon, peppermint, almond, amaretto - you name it!
Make Chocolate cookies by adding 1/2 cup cocoa powder, and decreasing flour by 1/2 cup. (Try these with peppermint flavoring!)
Stained glass cookies: Cut holes with tiny cookie cutters or knife, and fill holes with crushed hard candy. This you need to do on a DRY day or the candy gets sticky and hard to use. Bake 6-8 minutes or until candy has melted.
Filled cookies: Use round cookie cutters, place one cookie on baking sheet, top with your favorite filling or jam, and place a second cookie on top with a small hole cut out. Bake about 8-10 minutes.
However you do them, they're fun - and yummy!