Shekar Choreyi (Şəkər Çörəyi) — Azerbaijani Sugar Cookies with a Tender Crumb

• 150 gunsalted butter, softened
• 120 gpowdered sugar
• 1egg yolk (from a large egg)
• 30 mlwhole milk
• 1 tspvanilla extract
• 2 gfine salt (about 1/3 tsp)
• 4 gbaking powder (about 1 tsp)
• 300 gall-purpose flour
• 12 ggranulated sugar (about 1 tbsp, for a light sprinkle)

Instructions

1. 1

   Preheat the oven to 175°C and line a baking tray with parchment paper. Let the butter sit at room temperature until it is soft but not oily, because overly warm butter can make the dough spread.

2. 2

   In a large bowl, cream the softened butter and powdered sugar for 2–3 minutes until pale and fluffy. This aeration is key for the cookie’s tender crumb, so scrape the bowl once midway to keep the mixture even.

3. 3

   Add 1 egg yolk, 30 ml milk, and the vanilla extract, then mix until fully combined and smooth. The mixture may look slightly curdled at first, but it will come together as soon as the flour is added.

4. 4

   In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt to distribute the leavening evenly. Add the dry ingredients to the butter mixture and mix just until a soft, non-sticky dough forms, because overmixing can toughen the cookies.

5. 5

   Divide the dough into 18 equal portions, about 33 g each, and roll each into a smooth ball. Flatten each ball gently into a 5–6 cm round and place them on the tray with at least 3 cm spacing so heat circulates evenly.

6. 6

   Whisk the egg wash yolk with 10 ml milk until fluid, then brush a thin, even layer over each cookie. Use a fork or the back of a knife to score a light crosshatch pattern on top, which is a classic look and helps the glaze bake evenly.

7. 7

   Sprinkle each cookie with a small pinch of granulated sugar, using the full 12 g across the batch for a delicate crunch. Bake for 16–18 minutes until the bottoms are lightly golden but the tops remain pale, since Şəkər Çörəyi is traditionally not deeply browned.

8. 8

   Cool the cookies on the tray for 10 minutes so they set and don’t crumble when moved. Transfer to a rack and cool completely before serving, because the texture becomes more tender as the butter re-firms.