Breakstone’s Butter is touting butter’s benefits this Chanukah.
Chicago—Butter is making a comeback! This season Breakstone’s is reminding consumers that butter is the best choice for Chanukah cooking and holiday baking.
Focusing on the Jewish consumer, Breakstone’s Butter has launched a print, digital and social media marketing campaign, “Chanukah Is Better With Butter,” to communicate with families.
From a culinary perspective, butter is a preferred shortening for chefs because of how it boosts flavor blending. In his Food Network show “Good Eats,” celebrity chef/food scientist/humorist Alton Brown creates a mock “court” trial to defend the churned wonder. Calling butter “this wholesome and versatile food, this friend to cooks everywhere,” Brown says butter, in general, has gotten a “bad rap” by the “the dark agents of industry and media.”
While the general market consumer has always known that dairy butter is a must when it comes to cookies, pie crusts and decadent deserts, the kosher consumer often relies on pareve (dairy- and meat-free) alternatives so the foods can be consumed freely after a meat meal (conforming to the kosher laws requiring consuming dairy and meat in separate meals).
“We understand that kosher cooks tend to use oils and shortenings, but we’re here to remind them that butter is a natural, trans-fat free ingredient that imparts the best flavor and texture for succulent dairy meals,” says Mihira Patel, Breakstone’s Butter Senior Brand Manager.
Even teen celebrity chef Eitan Bernath is a fan. “Butter just makes a better pie crust,” notes the 14-year-old blogger who appeared on another Food Network series, “Chopped,” when he was just 11. Bernath has created the recipe: “Chanukah Sugar Cookies With Butter Cream” using Breakstone’s butter, which will be featured on social media and other platforms as well.
Beyond baking, butter is the spread of choice for bagels & sandwiches for many. A breakfast of coffee and a bagel buttered with Breakstone’s has been the way to start your day for decades.
As many Jewish families are gearing up for the holiday, Breakstone’s will be singing butter’s praises for the Festival of Lights.
“From dreidel cookies to salmon in lemon butter sauce,” says Patel, “margarine can’t hold a candle to butter.”
Chanukah Sugar Cookies With Buttercream Frosting
Ingredients:
For the Sugar Cookies:
- 3 cups flour
- 1 tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp salt
- 2 sticks of Breakstone’s Unsalted Butter, at room temperature
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 egg
- ½ tsp vanilla extract
For the Buttercream:
- 2 sticks of Breakstone’s Unsalted Butter, at room temperature
- 4 cups confectioners’ sugar
- 2 tsps. vanilla extract
- 3-4 tbsps. milk
Assembly:
Blue and White Sprinkles
Directions:
For the Sugar Cookies:
In a large bowl, mix together the flour, baking powder and salt.
Into another large bowl, cream the softened butter and sugar with electric beaters.
Add the egg, milk and vanilla extract into the butter mixture and mix until fully incorporated.
Using your hands, press the crumbly dough together until it becomes one ball of dough.
Divide the dough in half, wrap each half in plastic wrap, and refrigerate the halves for 1-2 hours.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
Once the dough is chilled, take one out and roll to 1/8 inch thick.
Using Chanukah-themed cookie cutters, cut the dough into cookies.
Repeat with the second piece of dough.
Bake the cookies on a parchment-lined baking sheet for 8-9 minutes.
Once done, place the cookies on a cooking rack to cool completely.
For the Buttercream:
Cream together the butter and sugar in a large bowl with electric beaters.
Add the vanilla, increase the speed to medium-high and mix until smooth.
Adjust the consistency with milk as desired.
Use immediately, or refrigerate in an airtight container up to 3 days. Allow to come to room temperature and mix until smooth.
Assembly:
Using a knife or small offset spatula spread the buttercream onto the cookies.
Top with the sprinkles and serve.
If not serving immediately, refrigerate then bring the cookies to room temperature before eating.
