Pastitas

Dessert

Cook time: 10-15 minutes

Ingredients

  • 6 1/4 cup pastry flour (750 grams)
  • 2 1/2 sticks of unsalted butter (500 grams)
  • 1 1/4 cup sugar (250 grams)
  • 4 medium egg yolks, room temperature
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 4 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
Notes

Submitted by Ana Chavez, graduate student and research assistant in the Department of Neurosurgery

Tip: You can use bleached all-purpose flour, but using pastry flour will result in softer cookies. For decorations, you can use sprinkles, apricot or raspberry jam and powdered sugar.

Directions

  • Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
  • Line 2-3 baking sheets with a baking mat or parchment paper.
  • Sift the flour with the baking powder over a large bowl. Add the sugar and stir ingredients until combined.
  • Make a little cave or hole in the center of your mix and add the butter in small pieces, as well as the egg yolks and vanilla extract.
  • Proceed to make the dough using a pastry blender. Use your hands at the end if you need to as it may get a bit grainy in the blender.
  • Make same-sized small balls by pinching off some of the dough and rolling it in your hands.
  • Decorate them by pressing the dough ball into a container with sprinkles or make a small indent with your thumb in the center of the cookie and place in some jam.
  • After you’re done decorating, bake the cookies for 10-15 minutes until they are golden brown at the bottom.
  • Transfer to a cooling rack, and enjoy!