Monday, August 31, 2009

Need a little comfortin'?


PIE CRUST COOKIES

Pastry crust is one thing - as good as it gets, actually! But coax that dough into thin, flaky cookies and you've got a recipe for home-grown comfort, bar none.

Glistening with sugar crystals and cinnamon specks - baked to perfectly golden gorgeousness, these cookies were traditionally made from the 'scraps' after mom or gramma made pies.

I remember hoping and praying that there would be some left over dough and that we could feast on these rare treats long before the pie was ever cut and served.

When my kids were little, I started making these for no good reason except the love of watching children smile and thank me for the gift from my oven.

Do try them - not only at the holidays or when you make your pies, but just because you can.


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One recipe for Perfect Pie Crust, chilled (Or half... it does make enough for 4 crusts!)
1/2 cup sugar
2 teaspoons cinnamon or any other sweet spice you'd like


Handling as lightly as possible, and on a floured surface, roll one-fourth of the whole batch (or 1/2 of a half batch) of the chilled dough into 1/8th inch thickness. Not too thick...not too thin. We don't want them terribly fragile. Lightly dust dough with flour when needed.

Cut into strips, circles, diamonds...whatever you like and place on a cookie sheet. Sprinkle liberally with cinnamon-sugar. Bake at 350 for 10 minutes or until just turning golden. Allow to cool completely.

(You may notice a faint vinegar smell right as they are baked. This will dissipate very quickly and you won't taste the vinegar at all.)


26 comments:

  1. I have always wanted a recipe like this since I was a child, I always loved the crust. Cant wait to try it!!

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  2. We always roll out the extra dough and then use fun cookie-cutter shapes. Last Thanksgiving we had ducks and gingerbread men in pie crust form. Sprinkled of course with cinnamon sugar, as you do.

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  3. Thanks for the sweet walk down memory lane!

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  4. oooohh, I made fig pies the other day and was thinking that I could eat the pie crust by itself--these look awesome!

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  5. I just saw this on Tastestopping, and I did leave a comment there. But I had to tell you that I can't wait to make these. I love to eat pie crust plain, and making it into cookies will make it look less strange :)

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  6. We called this "chicken" when I was a kid. I don't know why. It's so good but I never made it just for it's own sake. Am going to do that soon.

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  7. We called it monkey pie! I have no idea why, but my grandmother would take extra dough roll it out put it on a cookie she and put sugar and cinnamon on it, nothing like it! I also use it with my snowflake cookie cutters in the winter.

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  8. Can you use already made pie crust that you buy in the store?

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    1. I'm so sorry I didn't see this until so late! Been away and NEED to get back into this blog!
      Yes, you can use the pastry from the store. I like the Marie Collander's the best - it's the most flaky and homemade-like, although it's already in a pie plate. You could slide it out and cut it into pieces, though!

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  9. My mom used to do this when we were kids, now I do it for mine. I think I even mentioned it on my blog before. Love them! Thanks for the memory again, I have pinned this to my Nostalgia folder lol.

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  10. Mmmmm, my mom always made these cookies. Love them!

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  11. How do you store them?

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    Replies
    1. I store them in a ziploc bag, or an airtight container!

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  12. Another good way to serve it is to after rolling out, sprinkle with chocolate sprinkles, cut into strips, then twist them up into long spirals, bake and eat. We've tried them with multi-colored jimmies as well, and they look so pretty.

    Oh, yeah, and I usually cheat and use Pillsbury ready-made pie crusts.

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  13. Just happened on your blog and these took me right back to my childhood!! Thanks so much for sharing this, I hadn't thought of these in a long time.

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  14. We slather the dough with butter/margarine cinnamon and sugar, cut in strips and roll the dough like snails. We always called the dough dogs. It's been a family favorite as long as I can remember and I'm 65!

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  15. We grew up on these as kids in the 50's, the only difference is Mom put milk on the pastry before she did the sugar and cinnamon...talk about a piece of heaven..I did this for my 4 kids and now do it for my 5 grandkids...they think I'm a genius!!! LOL

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  16. Thanks soo much for sharing this and thanks to your readers for the additional tips...cant wait to try these!

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  17. These do bring back memories!!! We called them Billy Goats crusts!! So funny as every one has different names for them!!

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  18. I do this, but I butter it and put cinnamon and sugar on it, then roll it up and cut like cinnamon rolls.

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  19. My mother made this she put butter on first the cinnamon and then sugar then she rolled it cooked to them she cut it up like cinnamon rolls and she called it hole cake I make it all the time and my grown boys fight over it lol

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  20. My mum did this for us, also, with butter and cinnamon and sugar. They were called tollies at our house...

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  21. Please give the recipe for this pie crust cookies

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    1. Nualjira, the recipe is at the top of this page. Just scroll up!

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