Italian Butter Cookie recipe like the ones found in an Italian Bakery

This might work for you Pjswim, The creaming method is important for this cookie , some people use fine sugar for it and get better results, (you can chop/refine your sugar in a food processor). I also like to pop my piped cookies in the freezer for 10-15 min to get the butter hard again so they hold there piped shape better. You can also try using Pastry flour instead of APF or a combination of the 2.

Italian Butter Cookies

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
 

Ingredients:

• 1 cup butter, room temperature
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• pinch of salt
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 large egg
• 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1. Cream the butter and sugar until fluffy and pale, about 3 - 5 minutes.
2. Add the egg and vanilla and mix until combined.
3. At low speed add the combined dry ingredients and mix until just blended. (Do not over-mix.)
4. Place into a pastry bag fitted with a star tip, pipe onto prepared parchment lined cookie sheets, spacing two inches apart.
5.  Bake for 10 to 14 minutes (until the bottoms and edges begin to turn golden brown.)
6. Slide the whole piece of parchment onto a large wire rack, and cool completely.
   
   

Here is another one from Chef Tess http://cheftessbakeresse.blogspot.com/2010/06/evil-italian-butter-cookies.html 

SAND COOKIES

1 1/2 cups flour (we used AP)
1/2 cup cornstarch
1/2 cup shortening
1/2 cup butter
1 1/4 cups confectioners sugar * (see Note)
1 1/2 t. vanilla extract
2 eggs

*(we also liked 3/4 c. conf sugar & 1/4 c. granulated which made them a slight bit sweeter)

Creaming method. Put through bag with large star tip. Bake @ 375 F for 12-15 minutes or until lightly brown.

Crumb Boss also has one she calls a "Butter Spritz Cookie" ,  There is a video to go along with it that shows mixing, piping and cookie variations.  http://www.crumbboss.com/?p=84  

Butter 10oz (1 1/4 cups)
10X Sugar 10oz (2 cups)  ( 10x sugar is powdered sugar )
Salt 1t

Shortening 10oz (1 1/4 cups)
Vanilla X 1T  ( X = extract ) (T=tablespoon ?)
Orange X 2t  ( X = extract ) (t=Tea spoon ?)

Fresh Large Eggs 1
Egg Whites 2

All Purpose Flour 1.5lbs ( 5 cups )
 

Note 1: I use a scale, so I converted it for people who do not, Powdered sugar, corn starch and flour are a pain to convert so I am not 100% sure on them.  )

http://www.ciaoitalia.com/categories/cookies has a range of italian cookies you might find your answer among.

I made these cookies last night and they were HORRIBLE!!!!  I am a very experienced baker and followed the recipe exactly.  The baked cookies had a crumbly texture, but tasted like cornstarch and totally lacked any flavor!!  After baking the 1st batch, I added more vanilla to the uncooked dough.  But, the next batch was not any better.  I even tried adding almond extract  to the raw dough, but they were still nasty!!!

I wound up throwing the cookie dough in the garbage!!!

Has anyone else made this recipe?  I would really appreciate your feedback.

Does anyone have a "tried and true" recipe for "Bakery Style" sand cookies?  I am looking for a recipe described similar to this one(see original recipe).  The cookie has a crumbly chaulky texture, that melts in your mouth.  There is no butter taste, just vanilla flavored.  If anyone has a recipe for this type of cookie, PLEASE post.

THANKS!!!!

karenb

I always thought those cookies were tasteless and made a sort of paste on the tongue. And that holds for Italian American bakeries in the states as well as for Italian bakeries in Italy.   So maybe they came out right!

Thanks for your response!!  You're probably right.  I never thought about it from that perspective!!!  I'm glad you gave me this "insight" since I was obsessing about this recipe and just could not figure out what was amiss.

Well, some people love them.  I just don't.  But no accounting for taste, and I don't want to offend those who love them.