Clothespin Cookies (Lady Locks)
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These Old-fashioned Clothespin Cookies are the star of every cookie tray! The have a flaky pastry shell and a fluffy marshmallow buttercream frosting filling. The combination is so irresistable, plus they really jazz up a dessert tray or cookie box.
The dough bakes up flaky and butter kind of like a cross between puff pastry and pie crust. The filling is soft, sweet, and tastes like a marshmallow. These cookies take a little time and are some work, but they’re totally worth it!
If you’re looking for more classic cookies, these Gingerbread Cookies and Shortbread Cookies are super popular!
Why You’ll Love These Cookies
- Unique – These cookies really stand out! People can’t help but grab for them, ask about them, and adore them.
- Old Fashioned – These cookies have a long history especially in Ohio and Pennsylvania. They’re nostalgic and a must for holiday cookie trays.
Ingredients You’ll Need
See the recipe card at the bottom of the post for all ingredients and quantities.
butter – A good quality butter is recommended. I like to use salted butter, but unsalted butter will work great too.
egg yolks – the egg yolks help provide a tender, rich pastry while not forming gluten.
sour cream – Full-fat sour cream is recommended to provide more fat for richness. It will also provide a tang.
marshmallow creme (marshmallow fluff) – This provides the flavor for the star of the show. The delicious marshmallow filling.
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Substitutions and Variations
- You can fill the clothespin cookies with different frostings like chocolate frosting or swiss meringue buttercream frosting. If you plan on serving immediately, homemade whipped cream would be scrumptious too.
- If you don’t have sour cream on hand, greek yogurt will work in a pinch.
- If you don’t have a food processor, you can cut the butter into the flour using a pastry cutter. Be sure to not leave any large chunks of butter when using a pastry cutter.
- If you want to add additional flavors to the marshmallow filling, use a small amount of extract like 1/4 teaspoon almond extract or rum extract.
- To give the clothespin cookies/lady locks a sparkle, additional sweetness, and crunch, gently roll the warm shells in granulated sugar.
NOTE: This recipe has not been tested with other substitutions or variations
Equipment Needed
Old fashioned wooden clothespins or mini cannoli forms. Plus, if you have cannoli forms, you can make my cannoli shells too!
Food Processor – This cuts the butter into the pastry really well and handles the sticky dough once the sour cream is added.
Pizza Cutter or Pastry Cutter – This helps cut the dough and provide clean edges. A knife will work but can pull on the edges of the pastry.
Hand Mixer – This is for the frosting to blend the butter and powdered sugar together.
Piping Bag – It makes filling the clothespin cookies really easy!
How To Make Clothespin Cookies (Lady Locks)
Step 1: Pulse flour, butter, sugar, and salt in a food processor until the butter has given the flour a yellow hue.
Step 2: Add the egg yolks and sour cream. Pulse until a dough ball forms.
Step 3: Wrap and chill the dough overnight.
Step 4: Roll 1/4 of the dough at a time into a 12×6-inch rectangle. Cut into 1-inch strips.
Step 5: Wrap the strips around the clothespins/cannoli forms, overlapping each layer slightly.
Step 6: Place on a parchment lined cookie sheet and bake at 425 degrees F until golden. Cool completely and remove forms.
Step 7: Whip up the frosting by beating the butter and powdered sugar together. Stir in the marshmallow creme and vanill until the frosting forms.
Step 8: Add the frosting to a piping bag or storage bag and pipe the filling into each pastry shell. Dust with powder sugar before serving.
Tips for Success
- Make sure your butter for the dough is cold. Cold butter helps create flaky layers.
- Chill the dough overnight. Don’t rush this step, the dough needs time to firm up and hydrate.
- Wrap the wooden clothespins in aluminum foil and roll in flour before wrapping with the pastry dough.
- Overlap the dough slightly on the forms to prevent gaps or breakage.
- Let the shells cool completely before removing the forms to prevent cracked shells.
How to Store and Freeze
To store these clothespin cookies, place in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. They are best enjoyed within a day though.
I wouldn’t freeze the baked shells with or without the filling, but you can make the dough and freeze it. Wrap the dough tightly in two layers of plastic wrap and pop in a freeze bag or freezer-safe container for up to a month. Thaw overnight in the fridge before rolling out and baking off.
You can make the marshmallow fluff frosting ahead of time and freeze that as well. Place the frosting in a freezer-safe container and store in the freezer for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge.
Once thawed, beat with a hand mixer to fluff the frosting back up.
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Clothespin Cookies
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Ingredients
Dough
- 2 cups butter cold and cubed
- 4 cups all-purpose flour
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 3 egg yolks
- 1 cup full-fat sour cream
Filling
- 1 cup butter room temperature
- 2 cups powdered sugar
- 14 ounces marshmallow creme/ marshmallow fluff Two 7 ounce jars
- 2 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
Dough
- In a food processor, add the 2 cups butter, 4 cups all-purpose flour, ¼ teaspoon salt, and 2 tablespoons granulated sugar. Pulse on high until the butter coats the flour and turns a light yellow.
- Add all of the 3 egg yolks and 1 cup full-fat sour cream to the food processor and pulse until well combined and forms a dough ball.
- Form the dough into a disc and wrap tightly in plastic wrap. Place in the fridge to chill overnight.
- Once the dough is chilled, preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.
- Divide the dough into quarters. Roll the first quarter of dough out onto a well floured surface until the dough is very thin, about 1/8-inch thickness, and is in a 12×6-inch rectangle. If needed, trim off any jagged dough on the edges.
- Using a pizza cutter or pastry cutter, cut the dough into 6 inch long strips that are each 1 inch wide.
- Repeat rolling the other quarters, one at a time, out on to a well floured surface and into a 12×6-inch rectangle Cut the dough into the 1 inch wide strips that are 6 inches long.
- Using mini cannoli forms or old fashioned round wooden clothespins, wrap each strip of dough around the clothespin with the dough slightly overlapping the previous layer so it appears similar to a cream horn with no gaps between the dough. It will wrap around a round clothespin 3 to 4 times. If you’re using wooden clothespins, wrap them in aluminum foil and roll them in flour before wrapping in dough.
- Place on the prepared cookie sheet and continue wrapping the remaining strips of dough.
- Place the preheated oven and bake for 10 to 12 minutes until the dough is golden brown.
- Remove from the cookie sheet and allow to cool on a cooling rack until they reach room temperature.
- Gently remove the mini cannoli form or wooden clothespin from the center of the cookies
Filling
- In a large bowl, add the 1 cup butter and 2 cups powdered sugar. Beat with a hand mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy.
- Add the 14 ounces marshmallow creme/ marshmallow fluff and 2 teaspoon vanilla extract and stir by hand until well combined.
- Add the frosting into a piping bag fitted with a medium round piping tip.
- Pipe the frosting in the middle of each cookie.
- Place in an airtight container and store at room temperature for about 2 days or in the fridge for 5 to 7 days.
- If storing in the fridge, let them come up to room temperature, about 30 minutes.
- Dust with powdered sugar just before serving.
Notes
Nutrition
(Nutrition facts are an estimate and not guaranteed to be accurate. Please see a registered dietitian for special diet advice.)
