The dream pieces cookies (Traumstücke) are fine and delicate shortbread cookies that literally melt in your mouth. The recipe is of German origin and consists of a butter shortcrust pastry that is very easy to make. While the basic version is flavored with vanilla, over time, other variations with nuts and spices have emerged. After baking, the cookies are coated in a generous layer of powdered sugar, making them extremely festive and almost magical; today, I present my version with almond flour and orange zest, simple and delicious!
Just like the snowball cookies, the dream pieces are perfect for adding to your Christmas cookie gift collection. They keep their fragrance for a long time, making them ideal for your gift baskets in a small tin box.
They require very few ingredients and are quick to make. All you need to do is create cylinders, cut them into small pieces, let them rest in the fridge for a short while, bake them briefly, and coat them in powdered sugar. In just a few simple steps, you can make plenty!
If you’re looking for Christmas cookies to gift that are quick and easy, here are some ideas:
- Difficulty: Very Easy
- Cost: Cheap
- Rest time: 1 Hour
- Preparation time: 10 Minutes
- Portions: 36 cookies
- Cooking methods: Electric Oven
- Cuisine: German
- Seasonality: Christmas
- Energy 269.80 (Kcal)
- Carbohydrates 33.09 (g) of which sugars 17.70 (g)
- Proteins 3.71 (g)
- Fat 13.91 (g) of which saturated 7.31 (g)of which unsaturated 4.38 (g)
- Fibers 0.97 (g)
- Sodium 5.09 (mg)
Indicative values for a portion of 50 g processed in an automated way starting from the nutritional information available on the CREA* and FoodData Central** databases. It is not food and / or nutritional advice.
* CREATES Food and Nutrition Research Center: https://www.crea.gov.it/alimenti-e-nutrizione https://www.alimentinutrizione.it ** U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service. FoodData Central, 2019. https://fdc.nal.usda.gov
Ingredients
- 1 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/4 cup almond flour
- 7 tbsps butter
- 1/2 cup powdered sugar
- 2 egg yolks
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 tsp orange zest (grated)
- as needed vanilla powdered sugar (for coating)
Tools
- 1 Bowl
- 1 Pastry Board
- 1 Baking Sheet
- 1 Small Bowl
Procedure
Cut the butter into 1/2 inch cubes, place it in the bowl, and let it sit out of the fridge for 10 minutes.
Add the flour, almond flour, powdered sugar, egg yolks, and flavorings, and quickly work everything together until you obtain a smooth and homogeneous dough.
Divide the dough into three parts and form three cylinders with a diameter of 3/4 inch. Place them on a tray and let them firm in the fridge for 30 minutes.
With a knife, cut cookies into pieces of 1 to 1 1/2 inches (the process is similar to making gnocchi; you need to obtain cylinders of the same size) and place them on the baking sheet lined with parchment paper. They won’t rise, so you can place them quite close together.
Put the baking sheet in the fridge until the oven is at temperature.
Bake the cookies in a preheated static oven at 338°F for 10 minutes. Let them cool slightly and dip them in vanilla powdered sugar. If needed, do a second pass in powdered sugar once they’re cool.
The almond and orange dream pieces cookies are ready to enjoy or to gift.
Advice
Storage
The dream pieces cookies can be stored in a tin box for up to three weeks.
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