Heart Cookies and Other Goodies: Honey Cookie-Hearts Meduolis (“Kaziuko Širdelės”), Little Ears Ausytės-Žagarėliai, Butter Cookies Sviestiniai Sausainiai, Honey Cookie-Hearts (Another Version)

LET’S COOK LITHUANIAN
with Dana Siliūnas.

Heart cookies and other goodies

HONEY COOKIE-HEARTS
Meduolis (“Kaziuko širdeles”)

1 cup honey
3 eggs
3 Tbsps. sugar
3 Tbsps. cream
4 oz. butter
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. cloves
1 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
2 cups flour

Note: A little more flour may be needed if the dough is too soft to roll out and make the cookies.

Cream eggs with sugar, pour in honey, melted (cooled) butter, spices and cream. Blend well. Mix the flour with baking soda and the baking powder, stir into the other ingredients. Knead dough until it does not stick to hands anymore. Cover and refrigerate about half hour. Roll out on floured surface; cut out hearts with a cookie cutter or make your own pattern (especially if you want to make big hearts). Bake at 350° until golden brown (about 10- 15 min.). Decorate after the cookies cool completely

HONEY COOKIE-HEARTS
(Another version)

3 eggs
3/4 cup sugar
3/4 cup honey
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. cloves
1/2 cup butter or oil
1/4 cup buttermilk
2 cups flour

Note: A little more flour may be needed if dough is too soft to roll out.

Prepare dough the same as above. Refrigerate before rolling at least half hour. Bake at 350° until golden brown (10-15 min.). Decorate after the cookies cool completely.

LITTLE EARS
Ausutes-žagareliai

3 egg yolks
1 whole egg
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 cup confectioners’ sugar
1 Tbsp. rum flavor
1 tsp. vanilla
1 cup flour

Beat egg yolks, whole egg and salt together ‘till very stiff (app. 10 min.) Blend in confectioners’ sugar and flavoring thoroughly. Add flour. Mix well. Knead dough on wellfloured board until surface is blistered in appearance (app. 7 min.) Divide dough in half, roll out each half very thin. With knife or pastry wheel cut dough into 4” x 2” diamonds. Make 1” slit in center of each. Draw long point of diamond through slit and curl back in opposite direction. Fry until lightly browned in deep hot shortening preferably Crisco (app. 7 min.) Turn and do other side. Drain on paper towel and cool. Sprinkle with confectioners’ sugar before serving. Makes 2-3 dozen.

Note: “Little ears” are a traditional Lithuanian holiday delicacy. While there are as many variations of this recipe as there are cooks, the basic ingredients are pretty much the same.

BUTTER COOKIES
Sviestiniai sausainiai

2 cups (4 sticks) butter, at room temperature
1 1/2 cups sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla extract
5 cups flour
2 tsps. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt

Preheat oven to 375°. Cream butter in large mixer bowl. Gradually add sugar and beat until light and fluffy. Blend in eggs and vanilla. Combine flour, baking powder and salt. Gradually add to creamed mixture; mix well. Divide dough into 4 equal portions. Roll one portion of dough on lightly floured surface to Vs-inch thickness. Cut into desired shapes with floured cookie cutters Place on unbuttered cookie sheets. Bake 6 to 8 minutes or just until cookies begin to brown around edges. Cool on wire racks; decorate as desired. Makes app. 3 dozen.