Butter Cookies are a classic favorite holiday cookie but they’re also great all year around! Crisp, buttery cookies with melt-in-your-mouth interiors, these are super simple with just 6 ingredients and no chilling required!
These are one of my favorite Christmas cookies, simpler to make than decorated Sugar Cookies and amazing when dipped in dark chocolate (and decorated with sprinkles!).
Crisp on the Outside, Soft on the Inside, Buttery Butter Cookies
These butter cookies are one of the simplest cookies to ever grace the face of my blog and yet they are one of my all-time favorites. Maybe because they’re so easy?
But they’re not just one of my favorites… my mom helps me with my baking and recipe development (and dishes!) almost every day of the week. She and my little sister leave my house with tons and tons of spare desserts, and often dessert fails, too.
So you would think she might want a break from sugar and flour and butter and even cookies when she goes home, but no. The day we finally nailed this butter cookie recipe (and there days and days of fails beforehand), she went home and made herself (and my siblings) another batch of these cookies.
That’s how good these butter cookies are.
And I know that I mentioned they’re easy, but really, 6 basic ingredients (7 if you want to dip them in chocolate, which you do), no chilling, no frills… I think you’re going to love these.
How to Make Butter Cookies
- Cream together butter and sugar.
- Stir in egg, vanilla extract, and salt.
- Gradually stir in flour until completely combined.
- Place half of the dough into a piping bag fitted with a large tip and pipe in a circular design onto an ungreased cookie sheet (I don’t line my baking sheets with parchment paper).
- Bake until edges are just beginning to turn golden brown.
- Allow to cool, then dip in melted chocolate and decorate with sprinkles.
What is the Difference Between Sugar and Butter Cookies?
The biggest difference between sugar cookies and butter cookies is that sugar cookies are often rolled thin and cut out using cookie cutters. While butter cookies will hold their shape while baking, the dough is much softer and for best results should be piped onto a baking sheet and then baked. Butter cookies (probably unsurprisingly) also contain a higher percentage of butter while sugar cookies have a higher flour to butter/fat ratio. Here is my favorite recipe for sugar cookies (and it’s a good one, just check out all those 5 star ratings!).
Shortbread cookies are another similar cookie, they are more crumbly and tender than butter cookies and bake at a lower temperature.
How Long Do Butter Cookies Last?
Butter cookies will keep for up to 2-3 weeks. Be sure to store them in an airtight container at room temperature.
Tips for Making Butter Cookies
These cookies are simple, but here are a few little tips and tricks to help you on your way!
- Your butter should be softened, but not so soft that it’s melt-y or oily on the outside. I’ll usually set mine outside of the fridge about 45-60 minutes before I begin baking.
- “Regular” butter will work perfectly in this recipe, but I love splurging on European butter for an even better taste! This recipe has so few ingredients that using the best quality really makes a difference!
- Only place about half of your cookie dough in the piping bag at a time. It makes it easier to pipe and less likely that you’ll bust open your piping bag!
- I used the Ateco 827 tip and made these butter cookies into simple swirls. If you make your swirls smaller or larger the cookies will need to bake for less or more time, respectively. Keep an eye on them! Also, if you use a different tip your baking time will vary (and smaller tips will be much harder to squeeze the dough through).
- Dipping your cookies in melted chocolate is optional, but it adds a nice touch. I recommend adding a small bit of shortening to the chocolate to ensure that it’s thin enough so that it dips well and you can still see the details of the cookie. If you use a premium chocolate like Ghirardelli, you can probably get away without adding the shortening, but I’ve found some less expensive chocolate just stays much too thick.
- Placing your butter cookies in the fridge for about 10-15 minutes after dipping in chocolate will expedite the hardening of the chocolate! Don’t leave them in for too long, though, or they will start to dry out.
Enjoy!
More Classic Cookie Recipes:
Let’s bake together! Follow me on my YouTube channel where I’ve already uploaded over 200 recipe videos that you can watch for free! I’ve included a short version of the video in today’s post, but for the full-length Butter Cookie video please see my YouTube channel. 💜
Butter Cookies
Ingredients
- 1 cup (226 g) unsalted butter softened
- ¾ cup (150 g) granulated sugar
- 1 large egg yolk
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 2 cups + 2 Tablespoons (265 g) all-purpose flour¹ ("plain flour" in the UK)
For Chocolate (optional)
- 1 cup (170 g) dark chocolate chips
- ½ teaspoon vegetable shortening I use Crisco
- Nonpareil sprinkles optional
Recommended Equipment
Instructions
- Preheat oven 375F (190C)
- In a large bowl (or, preferably, in the bowl of a stand mixer), combine butter and sugar and beat together with an electric mixer until creamy and very well-combined.1 cup (226 g) unsalted butter, ¾ cup (150 g) granulated sugar
- Add egg yolk, vanilla extract, and salt and beat well. Pause to scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl to ensure that all ingredients are well incorporated.1 large egg yolk, 2 teaspoons vanilla extract, ¼ teaspoon salt
- With mixer on low speed, gradually add flour until the flour is completely combined. Again you should pause to scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl.2 cups + 2 Tablespoons (265 g) all-purpose flour¹
- Fit a large piping bag with Ateco 827 piping tip and portion half of the cookie dough into the bag².
- Pipe cookies into swirl shapes on an unlined, ungreased cookie sheet. Transfer to 375F (190C) preheated oven and bake for 10-12 minutes or until edges of cookies are just beginning to turn golden brown.
- Allow cookies to cool for 10 minutes on cookie sheet before transferring to cooling rack to cool completely.
- Do not pipe cookie dough onto a hot or warm cookie sheet.
- Once cookies have cooled completely, dip in chocolate (if desired).
Chocolate
- Combine chocolate chips and shortening in a small bowl. Heat in the microwave in 20 second increments, stirring well in between, until chocolate is completely melted and smooth.1 cup (170 g) dark chocolate chips, ½ teaspoon vegetable shortening
- Dip cookies in chocolate and transfer to a wax paper lined cookie sheet. Decorate with nonpareils or other sprinkles, if desired.Nonpareil sprinkles
- Allow chocolate to harden before enjoying. You can speed up this process by placing the cookies in the refrigerator for about 15 minutes.
Notes
Help! I don't have the right piping tip OR My dough ended up too stiff to pipe
Don't have an Ateco 827? Don't kill your hand trying to use a smaller tip! You can instead drop the cookie dough by rounded 1 ½ Tablespoon onto the baking sheet and use the tines of a fork to make a criss-cross pattern (like if you were making peanut butter cookies) and bake as directed. As mentioned above, the most likely reason for being unable to pipe the dough is if the flour was over-measured (see notes above), the ingredients weren't combined well enough (especially if the butter and sugar weren't well-creamed), or if you're trying to use a piping tip that is too small. Some people have reported success with adding a splash of milk to the dough (though keep in mind that because you have lowered the ratio of butter to other ingredients the cookies may not be as buttery/flavorful) or you can also try warming the dough in the piping bag between your hands by squeezing it before piping.How to Store
Butter Cookies will keep for up to 2-3 weeks in an airtight container at room temperature.Nutrition
Nutritional information is based on third-party calculations and should be considered an estimate only. Actual nutritional content will vary based upon brands used, measuring methods, cooking method, portion sizes, and more.
Emily
This recipe is AMAZING! I am just learning to bake and they turned out awesome. My boyfriends favorite bakery that he gets butter cookies from for his birthday is currently closed, so I was looking for something comparable. These were perfect. Everyone loved them!
Sam
I am so happy to hear everyone enjoyed them so much, Emily! Thank you so much for commenting! 🙂
Jasmine
Making these is a VERY bad idea. For your hips! Ohemgee. I’m pretty sure i looked kike the cookie monster shoving them in my mouth! I think only about half of them made it into a container. I didnt have the tip specified, and i read the comments that said the 1m was too small. SO, because I’m lazy and didnt want to roll them, i just put a coupler on a bag and piped a swirl. Not the prettiest, but it did the trick. I sprinkled raw sugar on half of them before baking. I love those danish butterncookies in the little blue tin – these were a dead ringer. Thank you for the recipe, its going in my box!
Sam
🤣 I am so glad you enjoyed the cookies so much, Jasmine! I applaud your self control to allow some to make it into a container! 🙂
Janis
Cookies are delicious . 1M tip was too small for me to use. Didn’t have tip you suggested but did have 849 tip. It worked out perfect. I suggest to use a scale to weigh your flour. Because the spoon in cup and level will not get the correct amount of flour. At least it didn’t for me, maybe because I sift my flour first. Thanks you so much for sharing your recipe. It’s a winner!
Sugar Spun Run
I am so glad that you enjoyed the cookies, Janis! I appreciate the feedback, so thank you for commenting. 🙂
Raven621b
Made these last night! so good! i used my cookie press, as my dough did not want to cooperate with the piping bag & Tip. Will definitely try using bags again next time.
Sugar Spun Run
I am so glad that you enjoyed the cookies, Raven. Thank you for commenting. 🙂
Rachel
Just piped the first batch and put them into the oven! I found it very easy to pipe, even with “American” butter (Land O Lakes). I used the Ateco 826, which is probably similar enough to the 827, but also put in the whole egg (white and yolk) just in case. Subbed one of the two tsp of vanilla with coconut extract. Thanks for the recipe! I know I can count on this blog for solid baking recipes 🙂
Sugar Spun Run
I am so glad that you enjoyed the cookies, Rachel. Thank you for sharing what worked so well for you, I appreciate the feedback. 🙂
Theresa
I just made these to take to my co workers that are essential personal as a thank you. My tip was not quite large enough. I made round ball and flattened with the back of a spoon. Not as fancy but delicious I still dipped half in milk chocolate . Thank you so much I will definitely try them again
Sam
That is so kind of you Theresa! I am glad everyone enjoyed them. 🙂
Sharon
I received a cookie plater for Christmas that has different types of cookies printed on the plate, one being butter cookies. I decided to make each of the cookies printed on the plate for the person who gave the plate to me and give to him throughout the year. Hence looking up recipes for butter cookies. I will anxiously try your recipe. I did have one question–if on platter throughout day (not in winter, I live in TX), will the chocolate melt?
Sugar Spun Run
What a thoughtful idea, Sharon! I love it! As for the butter cookies, you can most certainly omit the dipped chocolate if you’re worried about it melting. They should be fine, but it really will depend on the temperature at the time. Happy Baking! 🙂
Serena
Can I make the dough ahead of time and freeze it, then thaw when I want to use?
Sam
Hi Serena, I honestly haven’t tried it, I don’t see any reason why it shouldn’t work though.
Carolina
This recipe is great! I just slightly varied it by reducing the amount of sugar by one third, added some lemon zest and rum extract to the dough, and sprinkled coconut flakes on top of the chocolate. I didn’t bother trying to pipe it, but just rolled it into little balls and flattened them with a fork.
Sugar Spun Run
I am so glad that you enjoyed the butter cookies, Carolina! Thanks for commenting. 🙂
Candace Thompson
I absolutely love this cookie recipe! I made them on Friday and they are just about all gone! I had some trouble with the piping originally but then I remembered hearing somewhere that you can add milk to things that are too thick until it reaches the consistency you want (or maybe I imagined it idk) so I was like YOLO, let me just try it. So i added 1% milk in splashes until it was a pipable consistency and let me tell you it worked like a charm! No change in the taste at all! They are buttery and delicious and the bitter dark chocolate just….ugh…..they are amazing!
Sugar Spun Run
Thank you so much for sharing your tips, Candance. I am so glad that your butter cookies turned out so well and were enjoyed. Thanks for commenting. 🙂
Elaine
Would rolling, wrapping, freezing and then slicing the cookies to bake work? I have so much trouble piping in general.
Sam
I think it would work. You could also try my icebox cookies or my slice and bake cookies 🙂
Merry O'Neil
I’m not a very experienced baker but I love butter cookies so my 10 year old and I gave them a try. I just rolled the dough into balls and fork flattened. They are fabulous!! My son in law has already begged for them for Christmas day. Even without the piping once dipped they still look very elegant.
Sugar Spun Run
I am so glad that you enjoyed the butter cookies and I love your technique, Merry! Thanks so much for commenting. Good Luck with your next batch. 🙂
Melissa Smallwood
These are wonderful little cookies! They taste great and are fun to bake! Thank you.
Sugar Spun Run
I am so glad that you had fun making the butter cookies and enjoyed them, Melissa! Thank you for commenting. 🙂
Brooke Emans
These cookies are delicious! I followed the recipe to a T.
I will be adding this to my recipe book
Sugar Spun Run
I am so glad that you enjoyed the butter cookies, Brooke! Thanks for commenting. 🙂
Sue
I made these as directed except, when I couldn’t get them to pipe, I added 2 tablespoons of milk to the batter and that worked fine. I used a Wilton 1M tip. They baked up beautifully, and when cooled, I dipped them in melted dark chocolate with peppermint sprinkles. A keeper!
Sugar Spun Run
Thank you so much, Sue! The 1M tip is a bit too small, I really recommend the Ateco 827 for piping. However I am so glad that the butter cookies turned out in the end and that you enjoyed them! Thanks for commenting. 🙂
Suzanne Fitzpatrick
Can these cookies be frozen
Sugar Spun Run
Hi, Suzanne! They should be fine in the freezer. I recommend storing them in an airtight container. Enjoy! 🙂
Stephanie
The dough was not moist enough to even form a cookie. I went by the recipe! Waste of time and baking products.
Sugar Spun Run
Stephanie, I am so sorry that they did not turn out well for you. The dough is stiff but manageable. I am happy to troubleshoot to determine what have might have gone wrong. 🙁
Bre
You must have measured ingredients wrong because I made them, also using the same exact recipe and they turned out completely fine and wonderful.
Aimee Hallen
I’m having the same issue right now. So bummed!
Christine
Stephanie, I had the same problem when trying to pipe them. The dough would not flow through the tip. I used the same open star tip, it was just too stiff. I followed the recipe exactly and the butter was perfectly softened. I didn’t want to waste the dough so I decide to roll it out and use a star cookie cutter. I wondered if using the whole egg would have made a difference.