Egg Biscuits

My cousin Carolyn is getting married tomorrow!  Technically, she is already married, but she and her husband are finally getting to celebrate and I am SO excited!  Part of my contribution for the day was to make Italian Egg Biscuits for some cookie platters.  My mom has a tried and true recipe that her Auntie Virginia created.  My cousin Diana also has a tried and true recipe for egg biscuits that uses cream cheese.  While both recipes are absolutely delicious, I decided to make my cousin Diana's recipe.  The cream cheese doesn't really change the flavor, but it does help with moisture - and since I made them ahead of time, I figured that would help.  Here's what I did:

The Ingredients

8 oz cream cheese, softened

1 stick of butter (I ALWAYS use unsalted)

1/2 cup sugar

2 eggs

1 Tbsp Vanilla

2 1/2 cups flour

3 tsp baking powder

The Method

• Cream together the cream cheese, butter, sugar, and eggs until smooth.  
• Add  the eggs one at a time and mix until incorporated
• Add the vanilla and mix well
• Combine the flour and baking powder and add gradually to the wet mixture
• The dough will be sticky.  Let it sit for 10 minutes.

The dough is all mixed (and a bit sticky) - rest for 10 minutes before handling

• Roll into small knots and place 1-2 inches apart on a cookie sheet.  If the dough is too sticky, put some flour on your hands to help roll.  I like to keep my cookies small, it's more work because you have to roll more, but they are daintier and bit size!

The rolled cookies, ready to be baked!

• Cook for 12-14 minutes at 350*.  Make sure the bottoms do not burn!

The baked cookies

• Move to a drying rack to cool to prepare for frosting

The frosting is the next part of the operation.  It's very simple, and adds a bit of sweetness to the cookie.

The Ingredients

1 1lb box of confectioners sugar

2 Tbsp lemon extract (I actually use 1 tbsp of lemon and 1 tbsp of vanilla - this still gives you a hint of lemon flavor, but doesn't overpower it)

Heat in the Microwave

1/2 cup milk

1/2 Tbsp butter

1/2 tsp crisco

The Method

• Heat the milk, butter and crisco in the microwave for about 30 seconds.  Stir well.  If the butter is not melted, keep heating for addition 5 seconds at a time.  Don't leave it in there too long - it may explode (I'm speaking from experience)
• Gradually add the wet mixture into the sugar.  You may not need ALL of the milk - don't be afraid to only use part of it.  You want the frosting to be smooth but not runny
• Dip the cookies into the frosting and set them to dry (I always set them on parchment paper

Frosting the cookies.  I flip them over and stick them right in the frosting - being careful NOT to get any on the bottom.  Let the excess drip off, and then let them sit to dry

• Before the frosting gets too dry, add sprinkles, if you like,  Since my cousin's wedding colors are orange, turquoise, and pink, I did those colors (minus the orange, since I couldn't find them!)  I frosted 4 cookies, then did the sprinkles - if you wait too long, the sprinkles won't stick
• Make sure you let the cookies set for a reasonable amount of time before stacking them (at least a couple of hours).  If you stack too quickly, all the frosting will get messed up

Rows of cookies, drying!

These cookies are not difficult, but they are time consuming!  Make sure you have the time to make these before you start them....But they're definitely worth the effort!!!

ENJOY!