Home » Recipes » Cookies » Simple Butter Cookies Recipe
by Beth @ The First Year //Published November 13, 2023, Updated December 4, 2023
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I spent 3 days focused solely on making and testing butter cookies so I could bring you the perfect butter cookies recipe. If you want melt-in-your-mouth cookies that keep their shape, follow my foolproof recipe!
Old-Fashioned Butter Cookie Recipe
After so much testing and perfecting, I’m excited to share with truly old-fashioned butter cookie recipe with you. I went back to the basics, just using butter, flour, sugar, vanilla and salt to create butter cookie perfection.
During my experimentation, I tried recipes with eggs and egg yolks, but even with chilling the cookies still spread too much. After all of my testing, I finally created the perfect recipe for butter cookies that will keep their shape with delicious, golden brown perfection.
Just the thought of a fresh batch of homemade butter cookies alongside a warm cup of coffee makes my mouth water and gives me a cozy feeling! Growing up, these were some of my favorite Christmas cookies and my newly perfected recipe is now getting rave reviews from my family. Pair them with these vintage chocolate peanut butter cookies for a out stand cookie platter!
What is a Butter Cookie?
Butter cookies are known for their buttery flavor and use of simple ingredients, typically sugar, butter, flour, and sometimes eggs. They are popular during the holiday season. When used as holiday cookies, they are often dipped in chocolate and decorated with sprinkles.
What is the difference between a Butter Cookie and a shortbread cookie?
Butter cookies and shortbread cookies are similar, but not the same. The key difference between shortbread and butter cookies is the sugar-to-butter ratio. In general, shortbread cookies contain a higher fat content, while butter cookies tend to contain more sugar. Butter cookies are known for a more tender and crumbly texture, while shortbread cookies are typically denser.
Why You Will Love this Danish Butter Cookies Recipe
Nothing beats a fresh batch of homemade danish butter cookies. Here are a few of the reasons you’ll love these cookies:
- Butter cookies that keep their shape without spreading
- Made with just 6 basic ingredients
- Only 8 easy-to-follow steps
- Can easily be made into festive Christmas cookies or kept simple
Butter Cookies Recipe Ingredients
The list of ingredients for this classic recipe is short and simple. Keep reading for all my best tips and get the full recipe with measurements and instructions in the recipe card below.
- Unsalted butter:softened
- Powdered sugar
- Vanilla extract
- All-purpose flour
- Cornstarch
- Salt
Chocolate Dip
- Semi-sweet chocolate chips
- Sprinkles
Supplies
What is the best butter to use in this Butter Cookie Recipe?
While I don’t have a specific brand of butter I recommend, I definitely recommend using unsalted butter. It’s always best to be able to control the amount of salt that goes into your cookies. Each brand of salted butter has a different amount of salt in it, so it’s best to stick with unsalted and add just the right amount of salt to the recipe.
How to make Danish Butter Cookies
During my 3 days of recipe development, I focused on making the steps as simple as possible and still yield buttery cookies that don’t spread and keep the right consistency. When you follow these foolproof steps, you’ll have perfect butter cookies every time. Get the full recipe in the recipe card below.
- Note:The dough must freeze for 30 minutes before baking.
- Combine butter and sugar.In a large mixing bowl, combine the softened butter and powdered sugar with an electric mixer. It will take a few minutes to come together.
- Add remaining ingredients.Add in the vanilla extract, all-purpose flour, cornstarch, and salt. Use the mixer until a smooth dough forms. This will also take a few minutes. If the dough isn’t clumping together, use your hands to squeeze some of the dough together and continue mixing on low. The dough will be very thick.
- Fill piping bag.Fit a piping bag with an open star-shaped piping tip (I used a Wilton 6B) and fill it halfway with cookie dough.
- Pipe cookies.On a baking sheet lined with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat, pipe small swirls. Start from the center and spiral outwards in a clockwise or counterclockwise direction, depending on your preference, finishing the swirl on top of itself. Leave some space between each swirl, as the cookies will spread just slightly during baking.
- Freeze dough.Place the dough in the freezer for 30 minutes. This step is required.
- Bake.Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C). Take the lined baking sheet straight from the freezer and place in the oven. Bake butter cookies for 15-17 minutes or until they turn lightly golden around the edges. Repeat with the second prepared baking sheet.
- Optional chocolate dip:Once the cookies have cooled, you can dip them in melted chocolate and add sprinkles if you’d like. Place the chocolate chips or chopped chocolate into a microwave-safe bowl. Start by microwaving the chocolate for 60 seconds at 50% power. Stir and then repeat for another 30-60 seconds on 50% power, continuing this process until the chocolate is melted. Dip one half of the cookie in the chocolate and place it on a silicone mat to set. Add sprinkles if desired.
Simple Butter Cookies Recipe Tips & Tricks
This homemade version of butter cookies rivals any you could get in a store. For best results, follow these tips:
- Properly measure the flour:Follow my tips below to properly measure flour. Too much flour or too little flour can drastically change the texture of your cookies.
- Be sure to chill the dough:Chilling the dough in the freezer for 30 minutes is an important step, skipping it will not yield the same results, and your cookies will be more likely to spread.
- Use a star-shaped piping tip:The best way to make these gorgeous piped cookies is with a star-shaped piped tip. I used a Wilton 6B.
How to Properly Measure Flour
The most accurate way to measure flour is to use a kitchen scale, weighing it in grams.
If you don’t have a kitchen scale, follow this method.
- Aerate the flour with a whisk or spoon. Flour becomes heavy and compact as it sits. Aerating is the same as fluffing the flour, but not the same as sifting it. Do not sift the flour unless the recipe specifically calls for it.
- Use a spoon to sprinkle the flour into the measuring cup. Do not tap the cup against the counter, as this will compact the flour.
- Use the back of a butter knife to level off the excess.
Storing Danish Butter Cookies
Store leftovers in an airtight container at room temperature for up to a week. You can also freeze butter cookies for up to 3 months in a freezer safe bag or airtight container.
Butter Cookie Recipe FAQs
Why are my butter cookies chewy?
Butter cookies may come out chewy if the ingredients were over-mixed or the cookies were over-baked. It’s important to mix only until combined and to bake cookies for the time specified in the recipe.
Why are butter cookies so good?
The simplicity of butter cookies allow the richness of the butter and subtle vanilla flavoring to really shine through. Sometimes simple is best, and butter cookies are the perfect example of that.
What is another name for a butter cookie?
Butter cookies are also known as Danish biscuits or butter biscuits.
More Cookie Recipes
- Homemade Peanut Butter Cookies
- Classic Jam Thumbprint Cookies
- Almond Joy Cookies
- Small Batch Chocolate Chip Cookies
Danish Butter Cookies Recipe
4.77 from 39 ratings
Prep Time: 15 minutes mins
Cook Time: 17 minutes mins
Chill Time: 30 minutes mins
Yield: 24 cookies
I spent 3 days focused solely on making and testing butter cookies so I could bring you the perfect butter cookies recipe. If you want melt-in-your-mouth cookies that keep their shape, follow my foolproof recipe!
Print RecipePin Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 cup softened unsalted butter, 226 grams equal to 2 sticks
- ⅔ cup powdered sugar, 75 grams
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 cups all-purpose flour, 240 grams
- 2 tsp cornstarch
- ½ tsp salt
Chocolate Dip
- ½ cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
- sprinkles
Instructions
The dough must freeze for 30 minutes before baking.
In a large mixing bowl, combine the softened butter and powdered sugar with an electric mixer. It will take a few minutes to come together.
Add in the vanilla extract, all-purpose flour, cornstarch, and salt. Use the mixer until a smooth dough forms. This will also take a few minutes. If the dough isn’t clumping together, use your hands to squeeze some of the dough together and continue mixing on low. The dough will be very thick.
Fit a piping bag with an open star-shaped piping tip (I used a Wilton 6B) and fill it halfway with cookie dough.
On a baking sheet lined with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat, pipe small swirls. Start from the center and spiral outwards in a clockwise or counterclockwise direction, depending on your preference, finishing the swirl on top of itself. Leave some space between each swirl, as the cookies will spread just slightly during baking.
Place the dough in the freezer for 30 minutes. This step is required.
Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C). Take the pan straight from the freezer and place in the oven. Bake for 15-17 minutes or until they turn lightly golden around the edges. Repeat with the second baking sheet.
Optional chocolate dip: Once the cookies have cooled, you can dip them in chocolate and add sprinkles if you’d like. Place the chocolate chips or chopped chocolate into a microwave-safe bowl. Start by microwaving the chocolate for 60 seconds at 50% power. Stir and then repeat for another 30-60 seconds on 50% power, continuing this process until the chocolate is melted. Dip one half of the cookie in the chocolate and place it on a silicone mat to set. Add sprinkles if desired.
Cuisine: American
Course: Dessert
Author: Beth
Calories: 142kcal, Carbohydrates: 13g, Protein: 1g, Fat: 9g, Saturated Fat: 6g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.4g, Monounsaturated Fat: 2g, Trans Fat: 0.3g, Cholesterol: 21mg, Sodium: 50mg, Potassium: 35mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 5g, Vitamin A: 238IU, Calcium: 6mg, Iron: 1mg
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published on November 13, 2023 // 19 Comments
Posted in: Christmas, Cookies, Recipes
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19 comments on “Simple Butter Cookies Recipe”
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Shirley Klotz —
Can you use a cookie press instead of pipping bag-
Beth @ The First Year —
Yes, you can!
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Lori —
Can these be made into a maple butter cookie with a filling?
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Heather —
This recipe was so good! I’ve never enjoyed making butter cookies but this was fun & simple to follow!Thank you 🫶🏼
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Annemarie Yohnk —
What and how is the piping tip attached? Sorry to be so uninformed. Really want to make these.
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Beth @ The First Year —
You drop the piping tip into the piping bag and cut a hole in the bottom of the bag so the tip sticks out!
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Pam Colombo —
I haven’t tasted them yet, I also cannot pipe them because the dough is too thick. Is there a way to soften the dough so that it will pipe easily? -
Katie —
Did you ever add milk to make it easier to pipe? That’s the only way I could get it to work for me. Any tips?
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Beth @ The First Year —
When I was recipe testing, the more milk I added, the cookies were likely to spread in the oven.
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Nan —
These look wonderful. So I decided to make them. The dough is so firm that it would not go through the pastry bag. So then I put it in my cookie press. It was still too stiff to work. What went wrong? I decided to roll the dough into balls and bake them. Thank you for responding
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Beth @ The First Year —
Hi Nan! This dough is very thick. When I was recipe testing this specific recipe, I tried recipes that were “thinner” but the cookies always spread in the oven.
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dorothy Ellis —
Can I use a cookie press instead of a piping bag?
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Beth @ The First Year —
Yes you can!
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Tazlyn R —
Loved these! The very first time i made them they were a huge hit! I didn’t think i liked butter cookies but now i do! Although I did make them a second time, they came out all wrong. Most definitely was in my I don’t think I measured the corn starch properly considering the middle was doughy no matter how long I baked them. Make sure to follow each instruction every time! -
Rachael —
Excited to try these! Is it possible to freeze the dough longer than thirty min.? Trying to make ahead.
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Beth @ The First Year —
Yes, you can freeze them longer if needed!
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Jesserea Morgan —
Way too thick. Just skip this recipe and find a better one.
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Casey —
I loved how quick and easy this recipe was !!! Tastes great too. -
Joyce Barry —
Wonderful recipe, easy and delicious ! Will be making them over and over…Thank you Beth for sharing❤️
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