One of the things I like most about Cook’s Illustrated (aside from the fact that their recipes generally work) is that they explain their process of testing the recipes and how they arrive at the final version, including why they use certain ingredients or a particular method. I’ve picked up so many little tidbits here and there that have helped me to become a better baker and cook. When I decided to make these cookies, I started by reading through the recipe and when I saw that it called for including a fully cooked egg yolk in the dough, I was especially grateful that I could go back through the article preceding the recipe to understand why. Otherwise, it probably would have been the sort of question that sent me running to Google to search for an answer. Best I can recall, I’ve never hard boiled an egg and included its yolk in my cookie dough!
It turns out that cooking the egg yolk before adding it helps to eliminate moisture in the dough to achieve a sandy, crumbly cookie. I loved the texture (as well as the flavor!) of the baked cookies – they reminded me of delicate shortbread cookies – so I’ll gladly go to the trouble of cooking the egg next time I make them. What I’m still a bit skeptical about, however, is whether it’s really necessary to press the yolk through a fine-mesh strainer before incorporating it into the dough. I’ll likely try skipping that step because I found it to be a huge pain and I think I could achieve a similar consistency by mashing the yolk well.
Shaping the cookies into pretzels is a bit more work than just slicing and baking the rounds (which you could also certainly do here) and at first I wasn’t sure it was worth the effort. I found, though, that I got into a groove after making my first 5 or 6 pretzels and things started to move more quickly. What really sealed the deal was the cuteness factor after I pulled the first tray of baked cookies from the oven. The sanding sugar provided just a bit of sparkle and since the dough held its shape beautifully in the oven, the cookies looked just like little mini pretzels! This recipe makes a lot of cookies (CI says 80 but I think I was closer to 60) but like most butter cookies, these keep well – about a week in an airtight container.
Vanilla Pretzel Cookies
from Cook’s Illustrated
1 large egg
10 tablespoons (1 1/4 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
1/3 cup plus 1 tablespoon (2 3/4 oz) sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups (7 1/2 oz) all-purpose flour
1 large egg white, lightly beaten with 1 teaspoon water
4 teaspoons turbinado (or other sanding) sugar
Place the egg in a small saucepan. Cover with 1 inch of water and bring to a boil over high heat. Remove the pan from the heat, cover, and let sit for 10 minutes. Meanwhile, fill a small bowl with ice water. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the egg to the ice water and let stand for 5 minutes. Crack the egg and peel away the shell. Separate the yolk from the white; discard the white. Press the yolk through a fine-mesh strainer into a small bowl.
In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter, sugar, salt, and cooked egg yolk on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 4 minutes, scraping down sides of bowl and beater with rubber spatula as needed. Reduce the mixer speed to low then add the vanilla and mix until incorporated. Stop the mixer; add flour and mix on low speed until just combined, about 30 seconds. Using a rubber spatula, press dough into cohesive mass.
Divide the dough in half; roll each piece into log about 6 inches long and 1 3/4 inches in diameter. Wrap each log in parchment paper and twist the ends to seal and firmly compact dough into a tight cylinder. Chill for 30 minutes.
With racks in the upper and lower thirds of the oven, preheat to 350 F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. Slice the dough into 1/4-inch rounds, and roll each round into a ball. Roll each ball into a 6-inch rope, slightly tapering the ends. Lift one end and cross it over so that the end rests near the center of the rope to form half of the pretzel shape. Cross the other end of the rope over to form the second half of the pretzel shape. Place the cookies 1 inch apart on the prepared baking sheets. Using a pastry brush, gently brush the cookies with egg white mixture and sprinkle evenly with turbinado sugar.
Bake until the centers of the cookies are pale golden brown with edges slightly darker than centers, about 15 minutes, rotating baking sheets from front to back and top to bottom halfway through. Cool cookies on baking sheet for 5 minutes; using thin metal spatula, transfer cookies to wire rack and cool to room temperature.
Adding a boiled egg in the cookie is sure new to me but your cookies look very pretty and delicious.
these are really really cute! they remind me of the pretzel cookies that come in the blue round tin of danish butter cookies, mmmm except these are probably betterrrr.
Yep, the cuteness factor wins every time! These are so very nice looking, you did such a great job of making them all evenly shaped, etc. Interesting about the cooked egg yolk.
Those are really cute, Tracey. =) I love CI, too. All that testing info is one of the reasons I still subscribe to the magazine as well as the website–the magazine articles include more detail than the website articles. All that info definitely appeals to the scientist in me.
I’ve made these before, or shall I say I attempted to make these. The dough was so dry and I tried to fix it, but my cookies just ended up tasting and looking like your average crumbly sugar cookie. Yours look perfect!
These little cookies are supremely adorable! I love the pretzel shape. They remind me of those Danish cookies that come in that huge blue tin around Christmas time!
I just made another cookie with hard boiled eggs – chocolate chip. They were really good. I loved the texture of them. I’ll have to try these too. I think it is so interesting to make cookies with hard boiled eggs!
Really nice these cookies. Great !!!
!!! These are just the neatest! What pub are they from, Baking Illustrated or the Family Cookbook? I have to make these – and it looks like there’s hardly any ingredients – or very little at least. What perfect little pretzels – I’m impressed at your pretzel-twisting!
@Mike – The recipe is actually from the Cook’s Illustrated website. You need a subscription to see it though which is why I didn’t provide a link. To be honest, I didn’t check BI or Family Baking to see if it’s in there, but I don’t think so.
it sounds so weird… cooked egg… but hey they look great!!!
These look great! I didn’t know that about the yolk. Thanks for the tip!
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How cute are these cookies!
The little pretzel cookies are too cute! I admire your patience for making sixty of them. CI is the best, you really can learn so much from their articles.
they look soooo cute! i bet these are great with pudding and strawberries
These are adorable cookies… Very interesting about the egg yolks, too! Learn something every day 🙂
I have been trying to figure out why when my grandma and aunt made their butter cookies, they were more crumbly in texture. This has got to be it! Thanks for sharing.
I would totally go with mashing the yolk, too! What a cute idea for a cookie, they look delicious!
so cute! great looking cookies!
I’ve heard of using a hard boiled egg, but never really tried it.These pretzels look super cute. Bookmarked!
I have been wondering why some cookie recipes call for cooked, sieved egg yolk and now, thanks to you, I know. Your “pretzels” turned out so professional. They reminds me too of the pretzel shaped butter cookies that come in the tins at Christmas time.
I am very happy I found your pics on pinterest. As I loooove pretzels theserecipes are just perfect for me!