Around the Chinese New Year, Chinatown bakeries fill up with tins of butter cookies, waiting to be given as gifts to relatives. Of course, they're still sold and eaten year-round, and once you have just one of these bite-size cookies, it's hard to stop. They're a tad less sweet than American cookies, but their rich butteriness makes them irresistible.

　　

Ingredients

makes about 40 small cookies

　　12 tablespoons (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened

　　3/4 cup confectioners' sugar

　　1 large egg

　　1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

　　1 1/2 cups self-rising flour

　　

special equipment

Mixer with paddle attachment

　　Cookie press

　　

Step 1

1. Preheat the oven to 375°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

　　

Step 2

2. In a standing electric mixer, cream the butter until smooth. Add the confectioners' sugar and cream until fluffy. Add the egg and vanilla extract. Slowly sift in the self-rising flour and beat until a smooth dough forms.

　　

Step 3

3. Add the dough to a cookie press and attach a star or flower-shape disk. Press the cookies onto the lined baking sheet, leaving 1 inch of space around each cookie.

　　

Step 4

4. Bake for 15 minutes, or until lightly golden on top. Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely before storing. The cookies can be stored at room temperature in an airtight container for 3 to 4 days.

　　Reprinted with permission from The Chinese Takeout Cookbook by Diana Kuan, © 2012 Ballantine Books. Buy the full book on Amazon or Bookshop.