Butter cookies are a classic cookie that always makes me think of the store-bought cookies that come in seasonal tins.
While these are delicious, this shortbread cookie recipe is less crunchy. These are soft butter cookies. Think of butter cookies as the perfect mix of sugar cookie and shortbread.
Need more seasonal baking ideas? Check out our dessert archive.
Ingredients butter cookies:
- butter, soft
- Granulated White Sugar
- egg yolk
- vanilla extract
- all purpose flour
- Salt
Instructions for butter cookies:
The dough for this is very easy to make; Mix the dry ingredients separately from the wet, then combine them. But the real “trick” here is freezing the batter before baking. You can do this in a number of ways.
If you want simple/plain looking butter cookies, I recommend freezing the dough in the form of a log. So just cut the cookies from the stem before baking.
If you want to shape or press the shortbread biscuits like in these photos, do so before freezing. You can freeze 30 minutes or up to overnight before baking using this method.
Tips for making butter cookies:
- The dough will be soft before freezing, so if you’re rolling it out to make cut out shapes (like I have in these photos), be sure to use more flour than the recipe card says. This is for dusting the surface and rolling pin.
- I used cookie stamps to create designs.
- You can also use a cookie press or cookie stamp roller to create designs.
- Another traditional method is to squirt dough with large pastry tips. I do not recommend this method. Even if your dough is very soft, this method requires a lot of hand strength. It may work great for some, but I’ve never had success with it.
Other Holiday Baking Recipes:
If you’re looking for more recipes to bake this season, give these a try!
FAQ
Are Shortbread Cookies the Same as Shortbread?
They’re very similar, so if you like one, you’ll probably enjoy the other. However, shortbread cookies are softer and the dough contains more sugar.
Which butter is best for cookies?
Unsalted butter is usually what recipes call for unless otherwise noted. This allows you to control how much salt is added to the recipe overall.
Why are my shortbread cookies dry?
Usually dry cookies means too much flour has been added. Check the recipe to make sure you used the right amount of flour.
For more recipes like this, don’t forget to subscribe!
Join now
Get creative ideas for recipes, crafts, decorating and more in your inbox!
To press
Get the recipe
soft and delicious butter cookies
instructions
-
In a medium to large mixing bowl, cream together the butter and sugar.
-
Stir in the egg yolk and vanilla extract.
-
Add flour and salt. Stir until a soft dough forms.
-
If you don’t plan to shape or press the cookies, roll the dough into a stick and cover with plastic. Freeze at least 30 minutes and up to overnight.
-
If you wish to shape or press the cookies, roll out the dough on a lightly floured surface and do so. Then place them on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Then freeze for at least 30 minutes and up to overnight.
-
Bake at 350°F for 8-10 minutes until edges begin to brown.
nutrition
nutritional information
Butter Cookies – 6 ingredients
amount per serving
% Daily Value*
*Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
Note: Nutrition is automatically calculated using Spoonacular for your convenience. Where appropriate, we recommend using your own nutritional calculations.
English
العربية
Nederlands
Français
Deutsch
Italiano
日本語
한국어
Русский
Español
Svenska
Türkçe
اردو
Tiếng Việt