love those bachelor's buttons

My favorite cookie is the bachelor's button; sometimes called a bachelor button. It's a small butter cookie, about the size of a quarter or sometimes a half-dollar that sports a tuft of butter cream icing in it's middle. When Giant was one of the main grocers in the area, my mother and I shopped there. Their bakery always had bachelor buttons and mom usually bought two or three dozen at a time. Being so small, they're easy to eat through in one sitting. The bakers at Giant always used pastel shades of food colorant for their icing, so they looked appealing as well.

Nowadays, the bakeries in most grocery stores don't stock their cases with these cookies. I can't find them at Kroger, and I don't shop at White's or Winn Dixie (there's not one close by), or Food Lion, mostly because they don't stock the groceries that I need. The only place to find them is...Food City. And they don't make them regularly. I found packages of a dozen or so this month as part of their Valentine's Day products, but normally, I'm lucky to find small packages of a half-dozen every other weekend. And, I don't like the red icing, or even the pink, really. It doesn't taste as good as pastel icings.  This recipe isn't the right one, because they DON'T have brown sugar in them. Nor do they have nutmeg in them! And cherries, there are no cherries. What do I know? Only that I haven't found the right recipe yet.

Comments

[Karen Richards]

I noticed you posted this blog almost two years ago. I was wondering if you've found the bachelor button recipe you're looking for since that time. I, too, have been looking for the same recipe. I wanted to make them for Christmas. Like you, I've found them at Food City occassionally and also at a small local bakery...but I'd like to make them myself. Thanks.

[Lori]

As I was compiling and retyping my mom's recipes, I did a search to compare other recipes by the same name and came across this post.

Mom's Bachelor Button recipe is the brown sugar recipe and uses a walnut meat in the center of it. There is no nutmeg in it or any other spices. It's a brown sugar butter cookie - but delicious!

This recipe is older than I am (and that's older than dirt according to SOME people...).

Could it be that you're looking for what's known in our area as a Thumbprint Cookie without the crushed pecans? I've found quite a few in a Google search that may compare with what you're looking for.

[R. Hensel]

Those cookies look like what we call Angel Thumbprints. We've never made them with frosting, we usually top with homemade raspberry jam after they're baked. Ours have a touch of almond extract but only a little brown sugar so they're probably similar to what you've had. I know the stores around here carry them, some in the bakery and some in the specialty cookie section on the shelf. Good luck!

[Kim]

I stumbled upon your page as I was also searching for a recipe for the bachelor buttons that I grew up on. Oddly enough, I too am an East Tennessee native (I now live in West Tennessee) and am pretty sure that our favorite bachelor buttons are the same or at least similar. Mine are the size you describe and are similar to a shortbread cookie, but not quite as sweet. The icing is always in a pastel shade and has a just a tiny bit of crunch to it. Does this sound familiar? If so, then you can get those at Peggy Ann Bakery in Greeneville, TN (my hometown). Every time I'm home, if my mom hasn't already gotten some for me as a surprise, I make a bachelor button run. In fact, there have been a couple of times that I've bought a dozen as I was leaving town and have had them polished off by the time I hit West Tennessee! I don't know what it is about them, but they've been my favorite cookie for my entire life! I'm either going to have to figure out how to make them or see if I can arrange a "dozen a month club" shipment with the bakery.

[Rebecca]

Hi Kim, that's cool that we have bachelor buttons and being from east tennessee in common. I've not visited Peggy Ann bakery in Greenville. thanks for passing that tip along. I'll be sure to make a special trip there. undoubtedly, they are my favorite cookies as well!

[Laura Leonard]

Kim,
What a small world!! I too am from Greeneville and definitely agree... Peggy Ann has THE BEST bachelor buttons on the planet. I live in Sevierville now but am enjoying one of those delicious confections as I type this comment. :-) I was looking for a recipe but will never be able to come close to Peggy Ann's.

[Rebecca]

FYI, if you're ever in Bristol, TN Blackbird Bakery sells bachelor buttons. A colleague brought in a dozen today and they are to die for. They're puffy though, not flat and hard. The icing was yummy and they were sprinkled with coarse sugar, too. Do drop in to try theirs, but get their early in the morning as they sell out quickly.

[Julie Fawbush]

Kim,

I grew up with a "Kim" and she and I lived at Peggy Ann's eating BACHELOR BUTTONS...Could this be you?...My name is Julie

[Lori]

Ok, clearly we're all swimming in the same pond while eating cookies! I, too, am from Greeneville, TN & grew up on Peggy Ann's bachelor buttons. This recent holiday an oppty 2 pass the tradition 2 our "millenials" & share in the sinful pleasure except PEGGY WAS CLOSED 4 the holiday. I guess success has its reward & after 40+ yrs of serving the BEST baked goods around, Peggy deserved a vaycay. Our morbid disappointment drove my little sister & me 2 Food City where purchased a meager version of Peggy's perfection. (Icing 2 soft, not "candied") 4get the turkey & pumpkin pie, next we're ordering our bachelor buttons in advance!