Butter Cookies Recipe (2024)

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Posted by Aimee 9 comments
Published: Dec 04, 2023 Last Updated: Dec 4, 2023

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Butter Cookiesare the perfect Christmas cookie recipe, but you can enjoy them any time of year. Whether you pipe them, scoop them, or slice and bake these cookies, they’re melt in your mouth delicious!

Our readers are obsessed with theseShortbread Cookie Bites. All decked out for the holidays! They look beautiful on a plate withChocolate Fudge! Don’t forget to add a batch of ourwhipped shortbread cookiestoo, for some festive flair.

Butter Cookies Recipe (1)

Table of Contents

  • Why You’ll Love This Butter Cookies Recipe
  • Important Ingredients
  • How to Make Butter Cookies
  • How to Pipe Butter Cookies
  • Recipe FAQs
  • More Cookie Recipes
  • Butter Cookies Recipe

Why You’ll Love This Butter Cookies Recipe

Every year I have a huge list of holiday baking that I want to tackle starting on December 1st.

Whether I’m making my favoriteSugar Cookies,English Toffee, or7 Layer bars, I’m constantly in the kitchen.

The hardest part about what I do for a living is that every year my list gets longer. I want to make those traditional cookies I grew up on, likeSnowballsandKolachky cookies, but I also have a list of new cookie recipes I want to create.

Needless to say, everyone we know tends to get a platter ofChristmas CandyandChristmas Cookies!

Today’s butter cookie recipe is one of my newest favorites. Here’s why I love it and think you will too:

  • You have options! You can scoop and bake them like you would any other drop cookie recipe, or you can pipe them to make them fancier or chill the dough in a log shape and keep it refrigerated until you’re ready to slice and bake (like theseJingles cookies).
  • There’s no need to chill the dough because they don’t spread!
  • Although butter cookies are a classic for the holidays, you can use different colored sprinkles (or omit the sprinkles) and they’re perfect for any time of year and any occasion!

Regardless of HOW you make them, there’s one thing for sure, you WILL love them. They melt in your mouth like a buttery shortbread, but with a soft, chewy center and crisp edges. SO DELICIOUS.

Important Ingredients

Butter Cookies Recipe (2)
  • Unsalted butter – This allows you to control the amount of salt in the cookies. Since the butter is the key ingredient here, this is definitely a recipe where you might want to spring for a fancy name brand! Follow our guide on how to soften butter quickly.
  • Egg yolk –An egg yolk adds richness to the dough.
  • Vanilla extract and almond extract – A combination of vanilla and almond extract is common in sugar and butter cookie recipes. You can use extra vanilla extract in place of almond, but I do recommend almond extract—it has a fantastic cherry-like flavor!
  • Ghirardelli dark chocolateor white chocolate wafers – These are formulated for melting and drizzling or dipping, unlike chocolate chips or bars.
  • Sprinkles– Optional, but they’ll make your butter cookies extra festive.

How to Make Butter Cookies

Butter Cookies Recipe (3)

Prepare: Preheat your oven to 375ºF and line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silpat baking mat.

Make the Dough:

  • Cream the softened butter and granulated sugar together in a large mixing bowl.
  • Mix in the egg yolk, vanilla extract, almond extract, and salt.
  • Slowly add the flour and mix to combine.

Bake the Butter Cookies:

  • Use a small cookie scoop and drop about a tablespoon of cookie dough onto the baking sheet for each cookie. You can also use a large piping bag and open star tip if you prefer.
  • Bake the cookies for 10-12 minutes, or until the edges are lightly browned. Remove and cool completely on wire rack.

Decorate: Dip the cookies in melted chocolate and add sprinkles while the chocolate is still wet. Let the chocolate set before storing or serving.

How to Pipe Butter Cookies

Butter Cookies Recipe (4)

Prepare the Cookie sheet- I prefer to use NO parchment paper when piping butter cookies. Parchment works great if you’re going to scoop the dough, but when piping it’s tricky to get the dough to not stick while piping.

Tips-

  1. Don’t make them too big. Smaller cookies are better and bake evenly.
  2. If the dough is too thick, add a tablespoon or two of milk to make it a little more workable.
  3. No need to chill the dough!
Butter Cookies Recipe (5)

Recipe FAQs

How do you store Butter Cookies?

Butter cookies are best stored in an airtight container at room temperature, for up to 5 days.

Can you freeze butter cookies?

Yes! Bake, cool, and freeze butter cookies in airtight container for up to one month. When ready to enjoy, thaw overnight, then dip in melted chocolate and sprinkles.

Why do my butter cookies get stuck in the spritzer?

Make sure your cookie dough is chilled if using a cookie spritzer.

More Cookie Recipes

  • Twix Cookies
  • Peanut Butter Cookies
  • No Bake Cookies
  • Lemon Butter Cookies
  • Soft Molasses Cookies
  • Chocolate Dipped Potato Chip Cookies
  • Butterscotch Cookies
  • Ricotta Cookies
  • Pecan Sandies

Butter Cookies

4.75 from 24 votes

By: Aimee

Butter Cookies are the perfect Christmas cookie recipe, but can be enjoyed any time of year. Whether you pipe them, scoop them, or slice and bake these cookies, they're melt in your mouth delicious!

Prep Time: 5 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 12 minutes minutes

Total Time: 17 minutes minutes

Servings: 24 cookies

Ingredients

  • 1 cup unsalted butter softened
  • ¾ cup granulated sugar
  • 1 large egg yolk
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 teaspoon almond extract
  • ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 cup Ghirardelli dark chocolate melting wafers or white chocolate wafers
  • ½ cup sprinkles optional

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silpat baking mat.

  • In a large mixing bowl, beat the softened butter and granulated sugar together until creamy. Add in the egg yolk, vanilla extract, almond extract, and salt. Mix until well combined.

  • Add in flour slowly until blended.

  • Use a small cookie scoop and drop about 1 Tbsp of cookie dough onto the baking sheet. You can also use a large piping bag and open star tip if you prefer.

  • PRO TIP: If piping cookies, and not scooping, add about 1-2 Tbsp of milk to slightly thin the dough out to make it workable in the piping bag.

  • Bake cookies for 10-12 minutes, until the edges are lightly browned. Remove and cool completely on wire rack.

  • Dip in melted chocolate and/or white chocolate and add sprinkles! Set and enjoy.

Notes

  • Butter cookies are best stored in an airtight container at room temperature, for up to 5 days.
  • Bake, cool, and freeze butter cookies in airtight container for up to one month. When ready to enjoy, thaw overnight, then dip in melted chocolate and sprinkles.
  • Start with unsalted butter. This allows you to control the amount of salt in the cookies. Make sure you soften the butter first!
  • Use a good quality chocolate for dipping. I choose Ghirardelli dark chocolate melting wafers, and white chocolate melting wafers. Not only do they taste delicious, they also melt smooth and don’t need any shortening added. They set up in minutes!
  • If piping the cookies, use a large open star tip. And add about 1-2 Tbsp of milk to the cookie dough if planning on piping these cookies!
  • See blog post for more recipe tips and tricks.

Video

Nutrition

Serving: 1cookie, Calories: 219kcal, Carbohydrates: 24g, Protein: 2g, Fat: 13g, Saturated Fat: 7g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 5g, Cholesterol: 37mg, Sodium: 37mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 14g

Course: Cookies

Cuisine: American

Did you make this recipe?Mention @shugarysweets or tag #shugarysweets!

Butter Cookies are the perfect Christmas cookie recipe, but can be enjoyed any time of year. Whether you pipe them, scoop them, or slice and bake these cookies, they’re melt in your mouth delicious!

Butter Cookies Recipe (2024)

FAQs

What is the difference between butter cookies and shortbread? ›

Compared to butter cookies, shortbread uses a higher ratio of butter to flour, and is baked at a lower temperature. This gives it its signature delicate consistency that crumbles in the mouth when bitten. It's also often baked in a pan and cut up after baking, rather than being cut into shapes before baking.

What's the difference between a sugar cookie and a butter cookie? ›

The biggest difference between sugar cookies and butter cookies is that sugar cookies are often rolled thin and cut out using cookie cutters. While butter cookies will hold their shape while baking, the dough is much softer and for best results should be piped onto a baking sheet and then baked.

Which butter is best for butter cookies? ›

Unsalted butter is better suited to baked goods like cookies that are sensitive to salt content and rely on butter's creamy flavor profile, helping ensure that you don't end up with an overly-salty baked good.

Why are butter cookies so good? ›

Butter cookies are classic cookies known for their rich, buttery flavor, and crisp texture. The flavor is lightly sweetened with warm notes of butter and vanilla. Similar to shortbread cookies, they are very popular around the holidays and are often given as Christmas cookie gifts.

What do Americans call shortbread? ›

Shortbread isn't a bread, it's what we Americans call a cookie.

What are common mistakes when making shortbread? ›

The most common mistakes when making shortbread are over-working the dough, and incorporating too much flour. The less you work the dough, the more crumbly and melt-in-your-mouth your shortbread cookies will be.

What is another name for a butter cookie? ›

Butter cookies, also known as Danish butter cookies, are cookies originating in Denmark consisting of butter, flour, and sugar. They are similar to shortbread cookies. The butter cookie is often categorized as a "crisp cookie" due to its texture, caused in part by the quantity of butter and sugar.

Why are my butter cookies dry? ›

Overmixing the dough

If you overmix the dough, the cookies will be dry and crumbly. The best way to fix this is to add more liquid to the dough. This can be done by adding milk, water, or even melted butter. You may also need to add more flour to the dough if it is too wet.

Is Land of Lakes real butter? ›

It's the very first sweet cream butter. Melted, browned, creamed or clarified, Land O Lakes® Salted Butter is the all-purpose butter that improves the taste of everything it touches. It's the original that never lets you, or your taste buds, down.

Should butter be cold for cookies? ›

There is a reason why bakers recommend room temperature butter. Butter is a solid fat, but it's also able to be whipped at room temperature. The whipping process will create air pockets, resulting in a fluffier, even-textured cookie.

Why are Royal Dansk cookies so good? ›

True to our Danish tradition of baking excellence, we don't compromise on quality. We use no artificial ingredients, added preservatives, or colors. These carefully crafted Danish delicacies are the perfect balance of buttery and crisp.

What happens if I use melted butter instead of softened? ›

In cookies, softened butter will result in a cakier and airier cookie than using melted butter. This is due to the fact that softened butter will create air bubbles that expand in the oven during baking. Melted butter will make your cookies delightfully dense on the inside and crisp on the edges.

Why is Royal Dansk so popular? ›

For over fifty years, our Royal Dansk cookies have brought joy and comfort to homes all over the world. Our crispy, delicate butter cookies and wafer cookies are crafted according to fine European baking traditions and packed in our iconic blue packaging to maintain freshness.

What is the difference between shortbread cookies and regular cookies? ›

They're both delicious cookies, but different. Sugar cookies are lighter, while shortbread is dense. Shortbread is more rustic, while sugar cookies work best for cutting and decorating. Sugar cookies will have a leavening (baking powder or soda) while shortbread has a short and simple ingredient list.

What makes a shortbread a shortbread? ›

Shortbread is called short because of the traditional ratio of one part sugar to two parts butter that lends a high fat content to the dough. This yields a soft, buttery crumb that melts in your mouth, similar to short crust pastry. This ratio is also what makes shortbread so crave-worthy. 2.

What makes shortbread different? ›

Dated back to the 12th century, a shortbread is a traditional Scottish cookie. Shortbread is a denser, crumblier cookie than sugar cookies and are often described as 'short' due to their high ratio of butter to flour which results in a rich, melt-in-the-mouth consistency.

What's the difference between Scottish shortbread and cookie? ›

Walkers Scottish cookies often have more ingredients than shortbread, including those that aid in leavening such as baking powder and baking soda. The leavening agents are responsible for the notable crunch and open texture of the Scottish cookie, which is not nearly as crumbly as shortbread.

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