I’m excited to share my Mini Butter Cookies Recipe, along with a simple eggless secret and a tiny technique that makes them ideal for Christmas gifting and easy batch baking.

Jump to Recipe

I can’t stop thinking about these melt in your mouth butter cookies. They sit somewhere between Cornstarch Butter Cookies and the Rich Butter Cookies you see in bakery windows, but somehow simpler and more sneaky.

All you need is good unsalted butter and powdered sugar to start and you’ll be surprised how a few small changes make them vanish like puffed sugar on your tongue. I’ve had batches that fell flat and other weirdly perfect ones, which is why I still tweak the method almost every winter.

Want to know the slightly stubborn trick I use to get them to literally melt?

Ingredients

Print Recipe (No Advertisments)

Unsalted butter: Rich in fat and calories, adds tenderness and flavour, tiny protein.
Powdered sugar: Pure sweetener, fine texture, quick dissolve, adds empty carbs and sweetness.
All purpose flour: Main carb source, some protein, low fiber, gives structure and chew.
Cornstarch: Softens crumb, makes cookies tender, mostly starch, no real nutrition.
Vanilla extract: Tiny amount, pure aroma booster, adds perceived sweetness, almost no calories.
Fine salt: Balances sweetness, enhances flavors, tiny sodium dose, essential for taste.
Melted chocolate (optional): Adds cocoa richness, extra sugar and fat, some antioxidants from cocoa.
Icing sugar for dusting (optional): Pretty finish, adds delicate sweetness, negligible nutrition, makes them look fancy.

Ingredient Quantities

unsalted butter 225 g (1 cup) softened

powdered sugar (confectioners sugar) 85 g (2/3 cup)

all purpose flour 250 g (2 cups)

cornstarch 60 g (1/2 cup)

vanilla extract 1 tsp (5 ml)

fine salt 1/4 tsp

optional: icing sugar for dusting 2 tbsp (15 g)

optional: melted chocolate for dipping 50–100 g

optional: coarse sugar or sprinkles 1–2 tbsp

How to Make this

Print Recipe (No Advertisments)

1. Preheat oven to 170°C (340°F) and line two baking sheets with parchment paper or a silicone mat.

2. In a bowl sift together 250 g (2 cups) all purpose flour, 60 g (1/2 cup) cornstarch and 1/4 tsp fine salt; set aside. The cornstarch is the secret for that melt in your mouth crumb.

3. In a large bowl cream 225 g (1 cup) softened unsalted butter with 85 g (2/3 cup) powdered sugar until pale and smooth, about 2–3 minutes with a hand mixer or 4–5 with a wooden spoon; add 1 tsp (5 ml) vanilla extract and mix just to combine.

4. Add the flour mixture to the butter in two additions and fold gently with a spatula until just combined. Dont overwork it or the cookies will be tough. The dough should be soft but hold its shape.

5. Chill the dough 20–30 minutes if it’s very soft. For piped shapes put dough in a piping bag fitted with a large star tip; for simple rounds roll into 1 inch (
2.5 cm) balls or use a cookie press. If you want sugar sparkle press coarse sugar or sprinkles on top before baking.

6. Place cookies
2.5–3 cm (1 inch) apart on the prepared sheets and gently flatten balls if you didnt pipe them. You can press with a fork for a classic look.

7. Bake 12–15 minutes at 170°C (340°F) until edges are just set and bottoms are very lightly colored; they should not brown much. Rotate trays halfway if needed. Remember they firm up as they cool.

8. Let cookies cool on the baking sheet 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. If you dust with icing sugar wait til fully cool so it doesn’t melt; optional dusting: 2 tbsp (15 g) icing sugar.

9. For chocolate dipped cookies melt 50–100 g chocolate gently in short bursts in the microwave or over a double boiler, dip half the cookie and place on parchment; sprinkle any decoration before chocolate sets. Store in an airtight tin up to a week, or freeze for longer.

Equipment Needed

1. Oven plus two baking sheets lined with parchment paper or silicone mats
2. Large mixing bowl and a medium bowl
3. Fine mesh sieve or flour sifter (for flour, cornstarch and powdered sugar)
4. Hand mixer or a sturdy wooden spoon for creaming
5. Rubber spatula for folding and scraping the bowl
6. Measuring cups, measuring spoons and a kitchen scale for best results
7. Piping bag with a large star tip or a cookie scoop / cookie press for shapes
8. Wire cooling rack and a small heatproof bowl (or microwave safe bowl) for melting chocolate

FAQ

Why do these cookies come out so melt in your mouth?

Powdered sugar and cornstarch make the dough super tender, plus using soft room temperature butter and not over mixing keeps the texture light. Bake just until the edges are barely colored, not brown, and they will almost dissolve when you bite them.

Can I swap the cornstarch or the flour?

Yes. You can use potato starch or rice flour instead of cornstarch at a one to one ratio. For even more tender cookies try cake flour instead of all purpose. If you need gluten free use a good one for one gluten free flour blend but expect a slight difference in texture.

Do I need to chill the dough?

It helps. Chill for 30 to 60 minutes so the butter firms up and the shapes hold. If you are piping shortbread style you can sometimes skip chilling, but cooler dough gives neater cookies and less spread.

What oven temperature and bake time should I use and how do I know they are done?

Bake at 325°F (160°C) for about 12 to 15 minutes depending on size. They are done when the bottoms and very edges are just turning pale gold. Avoid browning or they lose that delicate melt in your mouth feel.

How should I store or freeze them?

Store in an airtight container at room temp for up to 5 days. Baked cookies freeze well for up to 2 months. You can also shape or pipe the dough, freeze on a tray, then transfer to a bag for up to 3 months and bake from frozen adding a minute or two to the bake time.

Best way to add chocolate or decorations without ruining the texture?

Cool cookies completely before dipping in melted chocolate. Use tempered chocolate or stir in a little neutral oil for shine. Add sprinkles while the chocolate is still wet. If you plan to dust with icing sugar do it after the chocolate sets so the sugar stays pretty.

Melt In Your Mouth Butter Cookies Recipe Substitutions and Variations

Unsalted butter: swap with salted butter (same weight but cut added salt by ~1/4 tsp), or use a vegan stick margarine 1:1 for dairy free, or chilled coconut oil 1:1 (may give a light coconut flavor and youll want to chill dough before scooping).
Powdered sugar (85 g): blitz 85 g granulated sugar with 1 tsp cornstarch in a blender to make homemade powdered sugar, or use store-bought icing/confectioners sugar by weight; powdered erythritol can work for a low-sugar option but texture changes a bit.
Cornstarch (60 g): replace 1:1 with potato starch or arrowroot powder for the same melt-in-your-mouth texture, or omit and add ~20 g extra flour if you must (cookies will be slightly less tender).
All purpose flour (250 g): swap with cake flour 1:1 for an even softer cookie (or make cake flour by replacing 2 tbsp of each cup of AP with cornstarch), or use a 1:1 gluten-free all-purpose blend plus about 1/4 tsp xanthan gum per cup for gluten-free cookies.

Pro Tips

1. Weigh everything if you can, dont eyeball cups; flour packed into a cup ruins the texture. Spoon flour into the cup or better yet use a kitchen scale for consistent results every batch.

2. Keep the butter soft but not greasy or melted. If it gets too warm chill the dough longer, youll get cleaner shapes and less spread. For piped cookies press gently and dont force the bag or you’ll squish the design.

3. Sift the powdered sugar and flour mix together before adding, it makes the dough smoother and keeps tiny lumps out. Also fold gently and stop as soon as the flour disappears, overworking makes them tough.

4. When dipping in chocolate let the cookies cool completely and do the chocolate in thin layers so it sets shiny and doesnt make the cookie go soggy. Tap off excess chocolate and use a toothpick to pop any air bubbles before it hardens.

5. Store cookies flat in an airtight tin with a sheet of parchment between layers, they keep their crumb best at room temp for up to a week. You can freeze the baked cookies for longer, thaw at room temp so they dont sweat.

Melt In Your Mouth Butter Cookies Recipe

Recipe by Tessa Jones

0.0 from 0 votes

I’m excited to share my Mini Butter Cookies Recipe, along with a simple eggless secret and a tiny technique that makes them ideal for Christmas gifting and easy batch baking.

Servings

servings

Calories

130

kcal

Equipment: 1. Oven plus two baking sheets lined with parchment paper or silicone mats
2. Large mixing bowl and a medium bowl
3. Fine mesh sieve or flour sifter (for flour, cornstarch and powdered sugar)
4. Hand mixer or a sturdy wooden spoon for creaming
5. Rubber spatula for folding and scraping the bowl
6. Measuring cups, measuring spoons and a kitchen scale for best results
7. Piping bag with a large star tip or a cookie scoop / cookie press for shapes
8. Wire cooling rack and a small heatproof bowl (or microwave safe bowl) for melting chocolate

Ingredients

unsalted butter 225 g (1 cup) softened
powdered sugar (confectioners sugar) 85 g (2/3 cup)
all purpose flour 250 g (2 cups)
cornstarch 60 g (1/2 cup)
vanilla extract 1 tsp (5 ml)
fine salt 1/4 tsp
optional: icing sugar for dusting 2 tbsp (15 g)
optional: melted chocolate for dipping 50–100 g
optional: coarse sugar or sprinkles 1–2 tbsp

Directions

Preheat oven to 170°C (340°F) and line two baking sheets with parchment paper or a silicone mat.
In a bowl sift together 250 g (2 cups) all purpose flour, 60 g (1/2 cup) cornstarch and 1/4 tsp fine salt; set aside. The cornstarch is the secret for that melt in your mouth crumb.
In a large bowl cream 225 g (1 cup) softened unsalted butter with 85 g (2/3 cup) powdered sugar until pale and smooth, about 2–3 minutes with a hand mixer or 4–5 with a wooden spoon; add 1 tsp (5 ml) vanilla extract and mix just to combine.
Add the flour mixture to the butter in two additions and fold gently with a spatula until just combined. Dont overwork it or the cookies will be tough. The dough should be soft but hold its shape.
Chill the dough 20–30 minutes if it's very soft. For piped shapes put dough in a piping bag fitted with a large star tip; for simple rounds roll into 1 inch (
5 cm) balls or use a cookie press. If you want sugar sparkle press coarse sugar or sprinkles on top before baking.
Place cookies
5–3 cm (1 inch) apart on the prepared sheets and gently flatten balls if you didnt pipe them. You can press with a fork for a classic look.
Bake 12–15 minutes at 170°C (340°F) until edges are just set and bottoms are very lightly colored; they should not brown much. Rotate trays halfway if needed. Remember they firm up as they cool.
Let cookies cool on the baking sheet 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. If you dust with icing sugar wait til fully cool so it doesn't melt; optional dusting: 2 tbsp (15 g) icing sugar.
For chocolate dipped cookies melt 50–100 g chocolate gently in short bursts in the microwave or over a double boiler, dip half the cookie and place on parchment; sprinkle any decoration before chocolate sets. Store in an airtight tin up to a week, or freeze for longer.

Notes

Below you’ll find my best estimate of this recipe’s nutrition facts. Treat the numbers as a guide rather than a rule—great food should nourish both body and spirit. Figures are approximate, and the website owner assumes no liability for any inaccuracies in this recipe.