Ingredients
6 tbsp. butter
1/2 tsp. fennel seeds, chopped
1/2 tsp. pure vanilla extract
1/4 tsp. kosher salt
3/4 c. powdered sugar (84 g.)
2 large egg yolks
2 tbsp. heavy cream
1 c. all-purpose flour
Preparation
Step 1Preheat oven to 350° and line two baking sheets with parchment. In a medium sauce pan over medium-low heat, lightly brown butter until just foamy, swirling pan occasionally, 4 to 5 minutes. Remove pan from heat and immediately add in fennel, vanilla, and salt, swirling pan to lightly toast spice until fragrant.Step 2Whisk in sugar into pot until completely smooth. Let cool slightly, then whisk in yolks until mixture is smooth and emulsified. Whisk in cream until smooth, then fold in flour until no dry spots remain. Step 3Fit a piping bag with an open medium star tip and transfer batter into bag. Pipe 2 ½” circles about 1” apart on prepared baking sheets.Step 4Bake until cookies are just starting to turn golden on the edges, about 10 to 12 minutes.Step 5Let cool completely before serving.
The exterior has just the gentlest crispness to it and the interior has a slightly denser bite: the perfect marriage of textures in a butter cookie. Included as a surprise are little crunchy bits of chopped fennel seeds that get toasted in brown butter, and a subtle hint of vanilla wafts along in the background for that nostalgic taste. If you’ve made these, leave us a comment and let us know how you liked it! For a more traditional recipe, these butter cookies can’t be beat.
