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Butter Cookies Recipe

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★★★★★

4.9 from 580 reviews

Classic buttery cookies with a tender, melt-in-your-mouth texture, perfect for piping into decorative swirls. These butter cookies are easy to make using simple ingredients and can be wonderfully customized with chocolate chips and sprinkles for festive decoration.

Ingredients

Scale

Dry Ingredients

  • 2¼ cups all-purpose flour
  • ¼ teaspoon salt

Wet Ingredients

  • 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
  • ¾ cup granulated sugar
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 1 large egg, room temperature
  • 2–3 teaspoons milk, if needed

Optional for Decoration

  • White chocolate chips
  • Semi-sweet chocolate chips
  • Coconut oil (to thin melted chocolate, optional)
  • Assorted sprinkles

Instructions

  1. Prepare Dry Ingredients: Whisk together the all-purpose flour and salt in a bowl, then set aside for a few minutes to ensure even distribution of the salt.
  2. Cream Butter and Sugar: Using a stand mixer with a paddle attachment or a hand mixer on medium speed, beat the softened unsalted butter and granulated sugar together for about 2 minutes until light and fluffy. Add the vanilla extract and egg, then continue beating for an additional minute to combine.
  3. Incorporate Flour Mixture: Add the flour and salt mixture to the creamed butter and sugar, beating only until the dough just comes together. Avoid overmixing to maintain tenderness.
  4. Adjust Dough Consistency: Test the dough’s pipeability by placing a small amount into a piping bag fitted with a large open star tip (such as Ateco 826 or 827). The dough should be stiff yet pipeable. If it’s too stiff, gradually add milk one teaspoon at a time until the desired consistency is reached.
  5. Pipe Cookies: Pipe dough swirls about 2½ inches apart onto ungreased cookie sheets to allow for spreading. Refrigerate the piped dough uncovered for 30 to 40 minutes to firm up before baking.
  6. Bake Cookies: Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Bake the cookies for 12 to 15 minutes or until they are lightly browned around the edges. Remove from oven, allow to sit for 5 minutes on the baking sheet, then transfer to cooling racks to cool completely.
  7. Optional Decoration: If desired, melt white or semi-sweet chocolate chips in the microwave following package instructions. To thin the chocolate, stir in about 1 teaspoon of coconut oil per cup of chips. Drizzle the melted chocolate over cooled cookies and dust with assorted sprinkles for a festive touch.

Notes

  • Ensure butter is softened to room temperature for easier mixing and smooth dough.
  • Chilling the piped dough is essential to help maintain cookie shape during baking.
  • Use an open star piping tip for the classic swirled butter cookie appearance.
  • Adjust milk quantity carefully to avoid overly soft dough that’s hard to pipe.
  • If decorating, let cookies cool completely before applying melted chocolate to prevent melting and smudging.
  • Store cookies in an airtight container to retain freshness and crispness.

Keywords: butter cookies, piped cookies, classic cookies, holiday cookies, vanilla cookies, decorative cookies

Find it online: https://chefmilacook.com/butter-cookies-recipe/