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Writer's pictureInnichka Chef

Ukrainian Tea cookies, made with Beer (VIDEO)


Are you ready to bake and spread some holiday cheer? Finally, Christmas cookie season is here! Whether you need inspiration for your cookie platters, homemade gifts for teachers, coworkers and neighbors, or a festive dessert for a church potluck, these Christmas cookies have you covered all season long.

me and two boys holding baking sheet with cookies

With my little helpers I want to show you how quick and easy, and to mention fun with little ones you can create irresistible cookies!

cookies on a red plate

This recipe came from my sister Larissa, the one who likes to cook just like me. She has remained in Kiev and causes me to worry every time I hear about new rockets landing in UA (Ukraine).

During these difficult times for my home country, I'm constantly thinking about my precious homeland, so I make my childhood foods more often.

I have here a small collection of recipes that may inspire you to try Ukrainian food.


Let's get back to the cookies: Larissa used to make these cookies pretty much year-round, and we all loved them.

unbaked cookies

WHY EVERYONE LOVES THESE COOKIES?

  • These cookies are very easy to make!

  • Only 4 ingredients!

  • Light, super fluffy, and crispy at the same time!

  • Delicate flavor and is an elegant dessert for any occasion!

  • Nut free, which is important when you make for an unknown crowd!

  • Irresistible for they usually disappear before you know it!

  • Really inexpensive to make!

Since I moved to the US, I've made these cookies many times and always around Christmas. I used to bring them to our family's Christmas dinner party in Massachusetts. They were always popular! I never took home any leftovers! Since they have become a family Christmas cookie, I like to shape them as a white wreath!


WHAT 4 INGREDIENTS ARE NEEDED?

Beer - light beer, the beer you would drink. Plain or with flavor, in the video I used Mexican beer because that is what my husband prefers, called Modella.

Flour - all-purpose, unbleached as always and use organic if possible!

Butter - salted grass-fed real butter. There is no reason to skip on quality even in baked goods. At the end of the day not only flavor but also health is important too. Stay away from anything like the GreatLakes type of butter.

Powdered sugar - this ingredient I hardly ever use but here it is needed. However, sometimes for my family, I do skip and just lightly drizzle with some honey. You know me by now; I'm not much of a sugar eating person. Please use the powdered sugar made with organic cane sugar.

Vanilla (optional) - my sister never added, and they were still so good. Especially if the beer contains ginger or another flavor, then it isn't really needed.


WHO SHOULD RECEIVE?

Give to anyone who you think would appreciate these treats! Place on cookie trays, in boxes, or bags and they make the perfect inexpensive gift. Give them to your local hair salon as a thank you. Make some baggies for teachers as a little Christmas treat or maybe to a neighbor you feel may need a little more love this season. I am sure a little box of homemade love would make anyone happy!


WHY BEER?

In the fall 2018 this caught my eye, in an issue of Sift Magazine. Cookbook author Lori Rice shared her wisdom about baking with beer. This struck home with me and raised my curiosity about using this unexpected ingredient in baked goods. Beer is a truly underutilized baking ingredient, considering that it can have flavors from citrus and coriander to pepper, vanilla, and caramel. For this recipe that I offer to you today, stick with simple light beer, the one you or your family enjoys drinking.


TIPS FOR BAKING WITH BEER

  • Use freshly opened, and for the best result cold temperature beer.

  • Beer works better with full carbonation.

  • Beer desserts are best when fresh. The flavor of the beer won't come through. You won't taste beer, I promise!

  • Safe for children because the alcohol bakes off!

CAN I USE ALCOHOL FREE BEER?

Yes, as long as you have carbonation, this is all that matters. Get creative and use some flavorings such as ginger for example, then skipping on vanilla, as an ingredient is a good idea.


ANOTHER CHRISTMAS COOKIE RECIPE:

biscotti in my hands

This cookie isincredible on its own, but with a cup of Chai Tea

chai tea
hot chocolate

they are even better!


Let's do it...


Prep time: 5 minutes

Making time: 15 minutes

Chilling time: 20 minutes

Baking time: 10-12 minutes

Total time: 50 minutes

Author: Inna of innichkachef.com

Yields: 20-30 pieces

ingredients for the cookies

Ingredients

100 ml of light beer

250 grams salted butter (it's about 2 sticks)

1 teaspoon vanilla extract (optional)

Powdered sugar (for rolling onto baked cookies)


Directions

  1. Put butter into the freezer for 10-15 minutes before you start the process of making the cookies.

  2. Preheat the oven to 375F.

  3. For the dry ingredients, take a big mixing bowl and add flour. To incorporate butter into the flour, you can use an old-fashioned pie dough cutter, vegetable grater or food processor with a regular blade. Cut butter into small pea sizes, mix with flour until it is all incorporated and looks all the same.

4. For the wet ingredients, just simply add vanilla into the cup of beer.

5. Add wet ingredients into the dry ingredients. Mix everything together and create a ball of dough. Place into a zip lock bag and using your hands, flatten it just a little bit while shaping it into a disk.

6. Place dough into the fridge for 20-30 minutes. This could be done a day or two before baking.

7. Take out the dough after chilling, roll out and cut into circles, then within each circle cut a smaller circle creating a wreath shape. Or cut any shape you prefer. Bake on a baking sheet with a baking mat or baking paper for about 10 minutes and keep your eye on the cookies as they bake.

8. When they come out from the oven, while still hot, roll them into the powdered sugar.

cookies dipping in a powdered sugar

Enjoy right away with a cup of tea or like my boys did with a

cup of hot chocolate.


NOTES

If you end up with dough scraps, roll them into a ball, wrap in plastic wrap or place into the same zip lock bag, and let the dough rest for 20 minutes in the fridge for the best results. Resting the dough for 20 minutes is absolutely a must in preventing it from shrinking.

I hope you'll make this recipe soon. If you do, please tag me #innichka_chef on Instagram, Facebook, Patreon or Pinterest.


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Disclaimer:

Please make sure you understand: this blog includes only my own opinions based on my experience and love of food and is not professional advice. I'm trying to post healthy recipes, but it's up to you to decide what is good for you and what is not. Please talk to your doctor for nutritional advice. Remember, you are the king or queen of your health.

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