Mailänderli

Ingredients

Equipment Needed

• •Stand mixer or hand mixer
• •Rolling pin
• •Cookie cutters in assorted shapes
• •Soft pastry brush
• •Microplane or fine grater
• •Baking sheets
• •Wire cooling rack

Instructions

1. 1

   Cream butter and sugar

   In a large bowl, beat the softened butter with the sugar and salt until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes with a stand mixer or 5 minutes by hand. The mixture should turn pale and increase noticeably in volume. This aeration creates the tender crumb that distinguishes a proper Mailänderli from a dense shortbread.

   Butter should be soft enough to indent easily with your finger but not greasy or melting. If it's too warm, your cookies will spread during baking.
2. 2

   Add eggs and lemon

   Add the lemon zest and rub it into the butter mixture with your fingertips for a moment. This releases the oils and perfumes the entire dough. Add the egg yolks and whole egg one at a time, beating well after each addition. Scrape down the sides of the bowl. The mixture may look slightly curdled. Don't worry. The flour will bring it together.

3. 3

   Incorporate flour

   Add the flour in three additions, mixing on low speed or folding by hand until just combined after each. Stop the moment no dry streaks remain. Overworked dough produces tough cookies. The finished dough should be smooth, pliable, and slightly tacky but not sticky.

4. 4

   Chill the dough

   Divide the dough in half and flatten each portion into a disc about one inch thick. Wrap tightly in plastic and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, or overnight. Cold dough rolls cleanly and holds its shape when cut. Rushing this step guarantees frustration.

   The dough can be refrigerated for up to 3 days or frozen for a month. Thaw frozen dough overnight in the refrigerator before rolling.
5. 5

   Roll and cut

   Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line baking sheets with parchment paper. Working with one disc at a time, roll the dough on a lightly floured surface to about 1/4-inch thickness. Use a light touch and rotate the dough frequently to prevent sticking. Cut shapes with cookie cutters, gathering scraps gently and re-rolling once. Traditional shapes include hearts, stars, moons, and simple rounds.

   If the dough softens and becomes difficult to handle, slide it onto a baking sheet and refrigerate for 10 minutes before continuing.
6. 6

   Apply egg wash

   Transfer cut cookies to prepared baking sheets, spacing them one inch apart. These cookies don't spread much, so you can fit them reasonably close. Using a soft pastry brush, apply a thin, even coat of the egg wash to the top of each cookie. Work gently to avoid distorting the shapes. This wash creates the characteristic golden sheen.

7. 7

   Bake to golden perfection

   Bake for 10 to 12 minutes, rotating the pan halfway through. The cookies are done when the edges turn light gold and the tops display an even, glossy bronze. The centers should feel set but not hard when pressed lightly. Remove from oven and let cookies rest on the baking sheet for 2 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.

   These cookies firm as they cool. If they feel soft in the oven, that's correct. Overbaked Mailänderli lose their tender texture and become dry.

Chef Tips

• •Use European-style butter with a higher fat content if you can find it. The extra richness translates directly into a more tender, flavorful cookie.
• •Zest your lemons with a Microplane for the finest texture. Larger pieces of zest create bitter pockets and an uneven lemon flavor throughout the dough.
• •For the cleanest cuts, dip your cookie cutters in flour between each press. Wipe them clean if dough begins to stick.
• •The egg wash is not optional. Without it, you lose the glossy finish and golden color that define this cookie. Some Swiss bakers add a pinch of saffron to the wash for deeper color, though this is not traditional.
• •Store these cookies in a single layer in tins, separated by parchment. They keep beautifully for three weeks at room temperature, improving slightly after a day or two as the flavors meld.

Advance Preparation

• •Dough can be made up to 3 days ahead and refrigerated, or frozen for up to 1 month. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before rolling.
• •Cut and unbaked cookies can be frozen on sheet pans, then transferred to freezer bags. Bake directly from frozen, adding 2 to 3 minutes to the baking time.
• •Baked cookies store at room temperature in airtight tins for up to 3 weeks. They do not freeze well after baking, as the texture suffers.

Frequently Asked Questions

Nutrition Information

1 serving (about 19g)