Print

Soft Butter Cookies Recipe

Print Recipe

★★★★★

4.8 from 85 reviews

Soft Butter Cookies are delicate, melt-in-your-mouth treats with a tender crumb and rich buttery flavor. These cookies are simple to make with a classic combination of butter, sugar, and vanilla, creating light and fluffy rosettes that are perfect for tea time or any sweet craving.

Ingredients

Scale

Cookies

  • 1 cup unsalted butter (softened)
  • ⅔ cup granulated sugar
  • 2 egg yolks
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract (other extracts can be used)
  • 2 cups all purpose flour
  • ¼ tsp salt (omit if using salted butter)
  • 2 Tbsp milk (whole or 2%), plus extra if needed

Instructions

  1. Preheat and Prepare: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and line cookie trays with parchment paper. If your environment is warm, chill the piped cookies for 30 minutes to prevent spreading.
  2. Cream Butter and Sugar: In a large bowl, use a hand mixer to cream the softened butter and granulated sugar together until the mixture is light and fluffy, ensuring a good base texture for the cookies.
  3. Add Egg Yolks and Vanilla: Mix in the egg yolks and vanilla extract on medium speed until fully incorporated, giving the cookie dough a rich flavor.
  4. Incorporate Dry Ingredients: Slowly add in the all-purpose flour and salt. Mix on low speed just until large crumbs form, avoiding over-mixing to keep the cookies tender.
  5. Add Milk: Mix in 2 tablespoons of milk until it is absorbed. If the dough feels too dry and not sticky, add another teaspoon of milk carefully until it reaches a thick buttercream-like consistency, avoiding excess liquid which could make the cookies spread too much.
  6. Pipe the Dough: Transfer the dough to a large, heavy-duty piping bag fitted with a large open star tip. Pipe the dough onto the prepared trays in rosette shapes by holding the bag upright and swirling around the center while pulling away gently to release.
  7. Chill if Necessary: If the room is warm or the dough seems soft, chill the piped rosettes for 30 minutes before baking to maintain their shape.
  8. Bake: Bake the cookies in the preheated oven for 13 to 15 minutes until the edges turn a light golden brown, indicating they are perfectly soft yet slightly crisp on the edges.
  9. Cool: Let the cookies cool fully on the baking sheet to set their delicate shape and texture before serving or storing.

Notes

  • Using salted butter requires omitting the additional salt in the recipe.
  • The amount of milk added can vary slightly depending on flour moisture and butter softness; add cautiously to prevent spreading.
  • Chilling cookie dough or piped shapes helps maintain form and prevents excessive spreading during baking.
  • Piping with a star tip creates decorative rosettes, but the dough can also be shaped with a spoon for more rustic cookies.
  • Store cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to one week to maintain freshness.

Keywords: soft butter cookies, butter cookies recipe, easy butter cookies, piped cookies, homemade cookies

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