Pretzel cookies always add a bit of visual fun to a cookie platter. These were on my Christmas dinner dessert table last night.
The cookies are made from a plain butter vanilla bean studded cookie dough. The rum glaze has lemon juice added to spike it with bright citrus flavor. when rolling out the cookies, if the dough comes apart, wet your hands with water when handling it and it should behave.
Warning: There are raw egg whites in the cookie glaze If you are squeamish about consuming raw egg whites, perhaps this recipe is not for you. To air on the safe side, use pasteurized (heated to a certain temperature to kill bacteria) egg whites. These have been treated to eradicate a possible salmonella and other bacterial contamination. Salmonella can cause serious health problems in the elderly or infants.
Ingredients:
- 1/2 vanilla bean or 1/2 teaspoon vanilla bean paste
- 1 + 3/4 sticks butter (14 tablespoons)
- Scant 1 cup powdered sugar, sifted
- 1 large egg separated
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 2+1/2 cups all-purpose flour, sifted
- 2 ounces (or 2 shots) dark rum
- 2 teaspoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 1+3/4 cup powdered sugar
- Split the vanilla bean with a sharp knife and scrape out the seeds.
- Beat the unsalted butter and scant cup of powdered sugar together until smooth.
- Add the egg yolk until just combined.
- Beat in the salt and the vanilla bean seeds.
- Beat in the flour gradually until just combined
- Gather the dough into a ball, wrap in plastic cling film and refrigerate for at least 2 hours.
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
- Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Pinch off a small section of the dough, rewrap the rest of the dough and place it back in the refrigerator.
- On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough out into a long rope. Pinch off a section at a time and form into pretzel shapes. Place the pretzel shapes on the baking sheets.
- Place on the middle rack in the oven. Bake for 10-15 minutes just until they start to brown slightly. Remove from the oven and immediately transfer to a wire rack lined with parchment paper to cool completely.
- Whisk together the egg white with the dark rum, freshly squeezed lemon juice and the rest of the powdered sugar.
- Use a small pastry knife to spread the rum glaze on the cookies. Let the glaze dry completely before transferring to a serving platter.
1 comment
What cute little cookies! They sound delicious too 🙂