manju (japanese sweet bean paste cookies)

Ingredients

• Servings: 50
• 2 cups white sugar
• 1 cup butter, softened
• 4 eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 5 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 tablespoons baking powder
• 1 (18 ounce) can koshi an (sweetened red bean paste)
• 1/4 cup evaporated milk, or as needed

Recipe

Preparation Time: 45 mins Cook Time: 15 mins Ready Time: 1 hr


• preheat oven to 375 degrees f (190 degrees c). grease 2 baking sheets.
• beat sugar and butter with an electric mixer in a large bowl until smooth and creamy. beat eggs, 1 at a time, into creamed butter until smooth; add vanilla extract and beat well.
• sift flour and baking powder together in a bowl. gradually stir flour mixture into butter mixture, mixing well after each addition, until dough is smooth.
• generously flour your hands. make walnut-size balls from the dough and press into 4-inch circles on a floured surface, making the circles thicker in the center and thinner on the edges. spoon about 1 1/2 teaspoons koshi an in the center of each dough circle. gather the edges together and pinch dough around the filling until sealed. place dough balls, pinched-side down, on the prepared baking sheets about 2 inches apart. brush dough balls with evaporated milk.
• bake in the preheated oven until tops are lightly browned, about 15 minutes.