Dough –
½ cup of Vegetable Shortening or Coconut Oil or Butter
½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter or margarine
1 cup sugar
3 eggs
¼ cup orange juice or milk (regular milk, almond milk or coconut milk all ok)
1½ tsp vanilla extract
Approximately 4 cups flour (all-purpose or whole wheat)
½ tsp salt
2½ tsp baking powder
Egg Wash (2 eggs and a pinch of sugar, or without sugar)
Fillings –
Prune or Dried Fruit
Chocolate spread or Nutella
Fruit Jams
Toppings –
Powdered Sugar
Coarse Colored Sugars
Stand mixer or electric hand mixer
Measuring cups and spoons
Clear counter space or large wooden board to roll dough
Baking trays (2)
Parchment paper
3" cookie cutter or empty jam jar or cup
Brush or use your fingers
CREAM the vegetable shortening, unsalted butter, and sugar in a stand mixer or using an electric hand mixer.
ADD the eggs, blend until smooth.
STIR in the orange juice and the vanilla extract.
FOLD in the flour, salt and baking powder.
MIX to make a firm but soft dough.
TRANSFER the dough to a lightly floured surface and form 2 round masses.
COVER with plastic wrap and let the dough rest for 10 minutes.
PREHEAT oven to 350F.
LINE 2 baking trays with parchment paper.
ROLL out one portion of dough on a floured surface to a thickness of around 1/8”. Use a 3” round cookie cutter or jam jar and cut out as many rounds as possible and then re-use extra dough until complete.
BRUSH the rounds with the egg wash.
PLACE a teaspoon of filling in the center of each round.
Bring three sides in and PINCH the sides to create a triangle filled cookie. Repeat with all of the dough and the filling.
BRUSH the sides of each triangle with the egg wash. If desired, sprinkle coarse sugar on the cookies before baking.
BAKE in the center of the oven for around 30 minutes or until the cookies start to turn golden. (the bottom will turn more golden than the sides).
If you would like to DUST with powdered sugar, let the cookies cool for a few minutes and then dust them.