Description
Danish Butter Cookies are classic melt-in-your-mouth treats made with a perfect blend of European salted butter, sugar, and vanilla. These crisp yet tender cookies are piped into decorative shapes and lightly baked to golden perfection. They are ideal for festive occasions or everyday indulgence.
Ingredients
Units
Scale
Butter Mixture
- 1 cup (227 g) European salted butter, room temperature
- 1/2 cup (100 g) granulated sugar
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
Wet Ingredients
- 2 egg yolks
- 2 teaspoons (10 g) vanilla extract
- 1 tablespoon (15 g) whole milk, plus more if needed
Dry Ingredients
- 2 cups (220 g) all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup (50 g) cake flour
For Decorating
- Coarse sugar for decorating
Instructions
- Prepare for baking. Make space in your refrigerator for a baking sheet to chill shaped cookies for 20-30 minutes. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone mats and set them aside.
- Cream butter, sugar, and salt. In a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, cream the softened butter on medium speed until smooth. While running on low speed, slowly add sugar and salt, then mix on medium speed until light and fluffy.
- Add egg yolks, vanilla, and milk. Gradually mix in the egg yolks, vanilla extract, and milk while continuing to mix on medium speed until fully incorporated. Scrape down the bowl’s sides to ensure even mixing.
- Combine dry ingredients and add to the mixture. Whisk together all-purpose flour and cake flour in a separate bowl. Add the flour mixture to the mixer in two additions, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed. Mix on low speed until the dough is homogeneous and no flour streaks remain. Add an additional tablespoon of milk if the dough is too stiff to pipe.
- Pipe the cookies. Transfer the dough to a piping bag fitted with a ½-inch open star tip. Pipe 2-inch cookies in various shapes (rosettes, pretzels, circles, squares) spaced 2 inches apart on the prepared baking sheets. Sprinkle with coarse sugar or festive sprinkles if desired. Chill in the refrigerator for 20-30 minutes to prevent spreading.
- Preheat oven and bake. Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C) and place the rack in the middle position. Bake cookies for 10-15 minutes or until the edges are just lightly golden brown.
- Cool the cookies. Allow cookies to cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely to room temperature.
Notes
- Use room temperature butter, about 67°F (19°C), for easier mixing and better texture.
- Bring eggs to room temperature before mixing by placing them in warm water for 5 minutes.
- Avoid overmixing the dough to prevent toughness due to gluten development.
- Watch cookies carefully while baking as time varies with size and shape.
- You can use all-purpose flour only (260 grams) instead of the mix for a similar texture.
- Weigh flour accurately with a kitchen scale for best results. Fluff and spoon flour if using measuring cups.
- If using unsalted butter, add ¼ teaspoon kosher salt to the dough.
- Store cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days, or freeze for up to 3 months.
- Chill shaped but unbaked cookies up to 2 days covered, or freeze unbaked dough for 2-3 months; bake frozen dough a few minutes longer without thawing.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cookie
- Calories: 110 kcal
- Sugar: 6 g
- Sodium: 45 mg
- Fat: 7 g
- Saturated Fat: 4.5 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 2 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 12 g
- Fiber: 0.3 g
- Protein: 1.5 g
- Cholesterol: 35 mg
