Filipino Lenguas de Gato Butter Cookies

These Filipino Lenguas de Gato Butter Cookies are slim yet decadent buttery treats for desserts or snacks. Lenguas de Gato in Spanish translates to 'cat's tongues'. Thus, the cookies are shaped like a tiny tongue. These bake quickly and the rich butter aroma surrounds the kitchen during the process. Store in cookie tins or jars. Wrap a brightly-colored ribbon around the tin and give as gifts for the holidays. Makes about 18 to 20 pieces of 2-inch length, tiny cookies. Serves 4.

Cook Time7

Total Time7

Course: Dessert, Snacks

Cuisine: American, Asian, Filipino

Keyword: Filipino Lenguas de Gato Butter Cookies

Servings: people

Calories: 461kcal

Author: Elizabeth Ann Quirino

Equipment

Large cookie trays
Cake mixer - stand or hand-held

Ingredients

2 cups all purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon fine salt
8 egg whites
1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
1 cup softened butter at room temperature
1 cup granulated sugar
1 whole egg
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Instructions

In a bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt. Set aside.
Using a cake mixer, with clean beaters and bowl, beat on high speed the egg whites combined with the cream of tartar. Beat for about 5 minutes till soft peaks form. Set aside.
In a separate mixing bowl, cream the butter and sugar. Blend well.
Add the 1 whole egg and vanilla. Mix well.
Mix in the dry ingredients, a little at a time. Continue beating with a mixer till smooth.
Carefully fold by hand with a spatula, the egg whites into the rest of the batter.
Do it gently or the mixture will collapse and won't be as frothy anymore.

To prepare for baking:

Place the cookie batter into a pastry bag (or use a large ziploc bag and cut the tip).
Pipe the batter on the cookie sheets, in slim, pencil-like 2-inch length pieces.. Leave about 3-inches space between the cookies. The cookies will expand while baking.

To bake:

Preheat the oven at 375 F.
Line a large cookie tray with parchment paper. Bake the Lenguas de Gato cookies at 375 F for 7 minutes.
When done, remove cookies gently with a spatula. Transfer to a cookie rack to cool down.

To package:

Store the Lenguas cookies in air-tight cookie jars or cookie tins. Wrap brightly- colored ribbons around the containers, to give as gifts.

Cook's comments:

Use premium butter that's newly purchased for this recipe. Do not use stale butter or expired flour that's been around the shelves for a while. Taste the butter before baking. If butter tastes rancid, do not use at all. The quality of the ingredients affects the outcome of the recipe.

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