Italian S Cookies, those tender, buttery morsels that are decorated with white icing and rainbow-colored sprinkles, are customarily prepared by Italians for Christmas and Easter. But you needn't wait for a special occasion to make them. This recipe makes a large batch that keeps for at least 1 week and freezes well for several months.
Instructions
1. Cream together the sugars and butter with a hand-held or standup mixer. Slowly add milk, heavy cream, eggs, honey, extract and cinnamon. Continue beating at medium speed until batter is smooth.
2. Add the flour, 1/2 cup at a time, beating at low speed. Mildly firm dough begins to form. When all the flour has been added, remove the dough from the bowl and shape it into a 4-inch disk. Lightly flour both sides of the disk. Wrap the dough plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1 hour and up to 1 day.
3. Remove dough from refrigerator when ready to form cookies. Pre-heat the oven to 350 degrees F. Place the dough on a lightly floured work surface. Keep a small bowl of flour nearby for dusting both the work surface and hands if the dough becomes sticky and unmanageable.
4. Pinch off small pieces of the dough about the size of a walnut. Roll the pieces into logs about 3 1/2 inches long and about 1/2 inch wide. Gently push the dough into an "S" shape. Repeat this process until all the dough has been shaped.
5. Place the "S" cookies on the ungreased cookie sheets, about 1 1/2 inches apart. Bake for about 18 to 20 minutes, or until golden brown and firm. Remove the cookie sheets from the oven. Using a spatula, transfer the cookies to wire racks to cool.
6. Mix the confectioner's sugar with 2 tsp. of the milk. Use more milk if necessary to create a mildly thick icing that coats the tops of the cookies without running off. Spoon the icing onto the cooled cookies, spreading it evenly. Top the cookies with the colored sprinkles.
Tags: about inches, cookie sheets, dough from, Italian Cookies, work surface
