Welcome to the second installment of our special month of Bready or Not. My cheese-centric cozy mystery Cheddar Luck Next Time just came out yesterday (picture the Kermit-flail gif) so we’re celebrating with another cheesy recipe from the Bready or Not archives.
This week’s feature is Farmer’s Cheese Cookies.
These cookies aren’t cheesy in a gooey, cheese-pull kind of way. Instead, the cheese here adds a touch of savory flavor and a lot of light, chewy texture. Expect a dry, crumbly texture in the cheese. Mine became somewhat powdery as I broke it down, which was fine. I was able to incorporate everything with an extra touch of water.
Cookies like this are traditional in Ukraine and Russia. Look for a product like Ukrainian Tvorog Farmer’s Cheese at your local import markets.
The end result is a cookie that, quite honestly, tastes fancy–light, crisp, sugary, like something that one would find in a fine bakery. Most people wouldn’t guess there’s cheese in the dough, I bet, but they’ll know there’s something different about them. Something delicious.
Please grab a copy of Cheddar Luck Next Time, which features an autistic (like me!) lead character with a passion for cheese (like me!).
Amazon: paperback | ebook (affiliate links)
Barnes & Noble: paperback & ebook
Bookshop: paperback
Bready or Not: Farmer’s Cheese Cookies
Equipment
- grater or food processor
- pastry blender
- 3-inch round cutter or the top of a glass
- parchment paper
- saucer or bowl
- Rolling Pin
Ingredients
- 1 cup unsalted butter 2 sticks, chilled
- 8 oz farmer's cheese such as Ukrainian Tvorog cheese
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 egg yolks
- 2-3 Tablespoons water
- 1 1/2 cups white sugar
Instructions
- Grate the butter using a hand grater or a grater attachment on a food processor. In a large bowl, use a pastry blender to cut in the cheese, which will be crumbly. Add the flour, followed by the yolks and water. Knead the dough until it comes together in a cohesive mass.
- Form the dough into a disc and encase it in plastic wrap to chill for anywhere from an hour to several days.
- When it’s cookie time, preheat oven at 375-degrees. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. Place a small amount of water in a saucer or bowl. Measure the white sugar into a deep bowl.
- Prepare a clean work surface with a dusting of flour. Break off some of the dough and roll it into a thin layer, like for a pie crust. Use the cutter to slice out 3-inch rounds; place the leftover and unused dough to chill in the fridge while cookies are shaped.
- Dampen fingers in the prepared water. Brush wet fingers over one side of a dough round. Dip moist dough into the sugar to coat it. Fold in half with the sugared portion on the inside. Dampen fingers and stroke another folded side of the dough, and dip that in sugar. Fold a final time with the sugared section on the inside. Use wet fingers on outside of cookie and coat that in sugar, too. Gently press the pleats together to prevent them from unfolding during baking. Place formed cookie on sheet and repeat process with remaining rounds.
- Bring together dough scraps, using a little water if needed, to roll out again. Use rest of dough to form cookies.
- Bake in batches for 19 to 22 minutes, until puffed and set with a golden base. Store in a sealed container at room temperature.
