Butter Cookies

These sweet, crisp, and sugary Butter Cookies are the perfect Christmas cookies that Santa will surely love. The buttery and milky crunchiness comes in different shapes and sizes, which goes perfectly with warm drinks. A melt-in-your-mouth holiday treat you can snack on even before the holidays actually arrive!

Makes 1½-2 dozen cookies

Course Dessert, Dessert/Snack, Snack

Cuisine Danish

Prep Time 8

Cook Time 15

Chill Time 20

Total Time 43

Servings

Calories 267kcal

Author Imma

Ingredients

8 ounces (227g) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 cup (113g) confectioner's sugar
2 tablespoons (15g) cream cheese
2 egg yolks
1 teaspoon (5ml) vanilla extract
1 teaspoon (6g) salt
2⅓ cups (280g) all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons (30ml) milk or half-and-half

Instructions

Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper or a silicone mat. Set aside while you make the cookies.
Using a hand mixer, mix the butter and confectioner's sugar until the mixture is fluffy (3-5 minutes). Then beat in the cream cheese and egg. Pour in vanilla and mix.
Then add flour and salt and thoroughly mix on low speed until flour has been fully incorporated.
Add milk, one tablespoon at a time, until the mixture comes together.
Divide the dough in half, flatten each half into a disc, and place it in the fridge for 20 minutes or more so it firms up.
Preheat oven to 350°F (178℃).
Lightly flour a cutting board or smooth surface and roll out the dough, one half at a time, to about ¼-½ inch thick. Cut with a 3-inch cookie cutter or use the desired size of cookie cutter. For rectangular butter cookies, cut with a knife or a rectangular cutter. Use a fork to prick holes.
If piping the cookies, add enough milk or cream so it is manageable when piping. Proceed immediately with piping.
Transfer them to the baking sheet pan, leaving them about 1 inch apart. Bake for 10-12 minutes or until edges are very lightly browned (everyone's oven is different, so please start checking at around 5 minutes). (It all depends on the thickness of the dough. Do not let it brown.) Let the cookies cool completely before serving.
Once cooled, proceed with decorating the butter cookies by dipping them in sugar or chocolate icing and sprinkles.

Notes

If piping the cookies, add enough milk or cream so it's manageable when piping. Fill a pastry bag fitted with a large star tip with the dough, then carefully pipe into 2-inch circles on the parchment paper or silicone mat, leaving some room between the cookies.
For easy slicing, roll the dough into a 14-15-inch log and wrap it in plastic wrap. Chill, then unwrap it and slice it into cookies.
You don't want your cookies to be noticeably browned because they'll continue cooking and could look burnt.
Chill the dough in the fridge for 1-2 hours or until firm.
Please keep in mind that the nutritional information is a rough estimate and can vary significantly based on the products used in the recipe.

Nutrition