This Dutch shortbread cookie is the perfect addition to any cookie exchange you may be participating in. Or you may even want to just whip up a batch to settle down with while watching holiday movies. I
Hi there and welcome to the 2nd Annual #HousefulOfCookies blog hop! I’m excited to share the recipes and yummy creations of 26 other bloggers and myself. Just in time for those cookie swaps that I’m sure you’re getting ready for. Instead of trying to the old faithfuls, why not check out these posts and find something new to add to your repertoire. This year, I’m presenting the Jan Hagel, a traditional Dutch shortbread that I came to know of last year during a cookie exchange. My aunt Rebecca brought them for us to exchange, and I’ve been thinking about them ever since.
They are full of butter, sugar, and magic. I promise. Many renditions of this cookie use almond slivers as the choice nut topping, but my aunt made them with pecans last year. Pecans also hold a special place in my heart because my granny Blackburn had a pecan tree in her backyard and nothing made me happier than getting my own personal box of them shipped to me every year. I’m pretty sure that I’ve told this story before, but when I was in college and pregnant with Nathaniel I asked her to send me a box because I was craving them. She sent me a HUGE box and then told me to share them with my friends. I gave each of them ONE pecan and kept the rest for myself. So ridiculous I was.
Back to the cookies. These cookies whip up in no time, and only use sugar, flour, butter, cinnamon (a touch), and one egg. That’s it. The secret, I’m told is making them as thin as possible, without losing the shortbread aspect. You also have to cut them while the dough is still warm, so they can harden into succulent, buttery bites that you won’t be able to stop eating.
I may have had to fight off little hands once these came out of the oven. Especially my helper, Sir Twizzler. He kept walking past the kitchen opening until I told him that he could come in and test one of them out. Nothing beats helping mommy in the kitchen and then getting to eat your hard work.
So you want to make them? Here’s the recipe, and I promise you, you can have them baked and ready in less than an hour.
Jan Hagel
Jan Hagel Dutch Shortbread Cookies
Ingredients
- 1 cup of butter
- 1 cup of sugar
- 1 egg separated
- 2 cups of all purpose flour
- 1/2 tsp of cinnamon
- 1/2 cup chopped nuts (I used pecans)
- Sugar for dusting
Instructions
- Pre-heat oven to 300 degrees Fahrenheit
- Cream the butter and sugar.
- Add your egg yolk and beat until well incorporated.
- Add the flour and hand mix well - mixture will be crumbly
- Spread thinly on a cookie sheet - make sure to get it thin! Not too thin of course!
- Brush with the egg white and sprinkle with nuts and a little sugar if desired.
- Bake for 25 – 30 minutes or until lightly browned.
- Cut into desired shapes while still warm - they will cool to a crunch!
- Adapted from from a recipe of a family member
These look DELICIOUS. *bookmarking*
Great job. A favorite in our household for years. A church member Marge Nydam taught me how to make them. They are addicting. I do add more cinnamon because I like cinnamon. I am honored you liked them so much to make and feature them. Thank you
Do they taste anything like the old school butter cookies?
A bit, but with nuts!
Yummy!!!! This looks incredible.
This is awesome…I will definitely be following for more recipes.
I may or may not have just tried to lick my screen.
These look amazing. I saw you share them when you first posted but didn’t have a sec to come by and drool over them. But they look so good! And I think I might try to make them this weekend, maybe …
Instructions dont say when to add cinnamon
Oops! Thanks for calling my attention to that! You can go ahead and add that 1/2 tsp in with the flour. 🙂
This recipe was passed on to the generations following in my Dutch family since the 19th century! Have always loved them and we always made them not only at Christmas, but anytime there was a special occasion in our family! Sooo good!!!
That’s awesome and such a good connection to have. I was very happy when my aunt Becky shared it with me!