Danish Butter Cookies
Classic, crisp Danish butter cookies with rich buttery flavor and vanilla, just like the ones from the blue tins—perfect for Christmas cookie trays, gifting, or an afternoon coffee.
Ingredients
- 1 cup unsalted butter 226 g, very soft but not melted; European-style (about 82% fat) preferred
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar 150 g; superfine sugar also works
- 1 large egg at room temperature
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract or 1 1/2 tsp vanilla + 1/2 tsp almond extract
- 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 2 cups all-purpose flour 240 g, sifted
- 1-2 tablespoons heavy cream or whole milk optional, only if dough is too stiff to pipe
- coarse sugar optional, for sprinkling on top before baking
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats to help the cookies keep their shape and prevent over-browning on the bottoms.
- In a large mixing bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer, combine the very soft unsalted butter and granulated sugar. Beat on medium speed for 3–4 minutes, until the mixture is pale, fluffy, and slightly increased in volume.1 cup unsalted butter, 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- Add the egg, vanilla extract, and fine sea salt to the creamed butter mixture. Beat on medium speed until fully combined, scraping down the sides and bottom of the bowl as needed.1 large egg, 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract, 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
- Sift the all-purpose flour over the bowl and mix on low speed just until no dry streaks remain. Do not overmix. If the dough is very stiff and you plan to pipe it, mix in 1 tablespoon of heavy cream or milk, adding up to 1 additional tablespoon only if needed for a thick but pipeable consistency.2 cups all-purpose flour, 1-2 tablespoons heavy cream or whole milk
- Transfer a small amount of dough to a piping bag fitted with a large open star tip (such as Wilton 1M or Ateco 827). Pipe a test swirl onto a piece of parchment. If it pipes smoothly and holds ridges, the dough is ready. If it is very hard to squeeze or breaks, mix in a bit more cream or milk and test again.1-2 tablespoons heavy cream or whole milk
- Fill a piping bag fitted with a large star tip with the dough. Pipe 2-inch circles or “S” shapes onto the prepared baking sheets, leaving about 1 1/2 inches between cookies. Alternatively, scoop 1-tablespoon portions, roll into balls, and flatten gently with the bottom of a glass, or use a cookie press.
- Place the baking sheets with the shaped cookies in the refrigerator for 20–30 minutes. Chilling helps the cookies hold their piped edges and prevents excessive spreading.
- If desired, sprinkle the cookies lightly with coarse sugar. Bake one sheet at a time for 10–13 minutes, or until the tops are pale, the edges are light golden, and the cookies feel slightly firm when gently touched. Do not let them brown all over.coarse sugar
- Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer them carefully to a wire rack to cool completely. They will crisp up as they cool.
- Once fully cooled, serve the cookies as is or decorate by dusting with powdered sugar, dipping half of each cookie in melted chocolate, and optionally sprinkling with crushed nuts or coconut while the chocolate is still wet.
Notes
Yield: about 32–36 cookies, depending on size and shape. The dough can be flavored with almond extract, lemon zest, instant espresso powder, or topped with cinnamon sugar. For best results, use good-quality European-style butter and do not skip chilling the shaped cookies. Store cooled cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for 7–10 days. To freeze baked cookies, freeze in a single layer, then transfer to a container with parchment between layers; freeze up to 2 months. You can also freeze the dough as a log and slice-and-bake, or freeze piped shapes and bake from frozen, adding 1–2 minutes to the baking time.
Nutrition
Calories: 90kcal
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