The long, thin shape of these cookies accounts for their distinctive name in many languages: langues-de-chat in French, lingue di gatto in Italian, and cat’s tongues in English. Serve them as an accompaniment to fruit compote or ice cream.

　　

Ingredients

makes about 5 dozen

　　2/3 cup plus 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour

　　1/4 teaspoon salt

　　7 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature

　　3/4 cup confectioners’ sugar, sifted

　　2 large eggs

　　2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

　　

Step 1

Preheat oven to 375°F. Sift together flour and salt in a bowl.

　　

Step 2

Put butter into the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment; mix on medium speed until pale and creamy. Mix in confectioners’ sugar. Add eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Mix in vanilla. Fold in flour mixture.

　　

Step 3

Transfer batter to a pastry bag fitted with a 3/8-inch plain round tip (such as Ateco #802). Pipe 2 3/4-inch lengths about 3/8 inch wide (the ends should be slightly wider than the center) onto baking sheets lined with parchment, spacing about 1 inch apart. (Batter should be refrigerated if not being used immediately.)

　　

Step 4

Bake until just golden around edges, 10 to 12 minutes, rotating sheets halfway through. Let cool on sheets 3 minutes. Transfer to wire racks; let cool completely. Cookies can be stored in airtight containers at room temperature up to 3 days.

　　

How to Pipe Langues-de-Chat

Step 5

Use a pastry bag fitted with a plain round tip to pipe lengths of batter in rows; squeeze a bit of extra dough on the ends of each, so that the ends are slightly wider than the centers.

　　Martha Stewart's Cookies