With Martha Bakes, discover Martha Stewart’s tips and techniques to create delectable baked goods. Be sure to check your local listings to see when the program will be airing in your area.

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For a country as small as the Netherlands, the Dutch have a huge variety of cookies. On todays show, Martha shares three famous cookie recipes and how they got their unusual names: speculaas traditionally formed using carved wooden molds, stroopwafels made from two waffles sandwiched together with caramel, and buttery, crisp arnhemse meisjes, cookies named for the girls of Arhhem.

This Week’s Recipe

Dutch Sugar Cookies (Arnhemse Meisjes)

Make Martha Stewart's Dutch Sugar Cookies (Arnhemse Meisjes) from the Cookies of the Netherlands episode of Martha Bakes.

Ingredients

Sugar, for sprinkling
1/3 cup whole milk
5 grams fresh yeast
1 1/2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
1 stick (1/2 cup) unsalted butter, cut into tablespoons, room temperature

Directions

Line a baking sheet with parchment; sprinkle evenly with sugar to cover. Set aside.
In a liquid-measuring cup, combine milk and yeast. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine flour, salt, and vanilla. Beat in milk mixture on medium-high speed until thoroughly combined, about 2 minutes. With mixer running, add butter, 1 tablespoon at a time, making sure it is fully incorporated before adding the next one. Once all butter has been added, increase speed to high and beat 5 minutes. Turn out dough, wrap tightly in plastic, and refrigerate at least 2 hours and up to overnight.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Generously sprinkle sugar on work surface. Place dough on sugared surface; sprinkle with sugar to cover. Top with a piece of parchment, then roll out dough 1/4 inch thick. Using a 3-inch oval cutter, cut out cookies. Transfer to prepared baking sheet, spaced 1 inch apart. Sprinkle with additional sugar. Bake until deeply golden all over, 15 to 18 minutes. Let cool on sheet 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack and let cool completely.

Yield: Makes about 30