I’m sharing my Simple Butter Cookie Recipe because these buttery rounds literally melt in your mouth and will have you wondering how such impossibly tender cookies come together so easily.

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I grew suspicious the first time I bit into one of these Danish butter cookies, because it felt wrong that something so simple could be so addictive. I kept thinking about the way unsalted butter melts and how a little vanilla extract can flip the whole thing from good to wow, and before I knew it I was testing edges for the perfect crisp.

Call it a Danish Butter Cookies Recipe obsession if you want, or pack them as Easy Christmas Butter Cookies, either way they vanish fast. I promise there are surprises in the texture, and I messed up a batch before I nailed it.

Ingredients

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Unsalted butter: rich fat for tender texture, adds flavor, high in saturated fat.
Icing sugar: superfine sweetener mostly carbs, dissolves quick, keeps cookies delicate.
All purpose flour: main structure, mostly carbs, some protein forms gluten for chew.
Cornstarch: softens dough, reduces gluten, yields a tender melt in mouth crumb.
Egg yolk: adds richness and fat, helps bind and emulsify, gives color.
Vanilla extract: tiny flavor boost, almost no calories, makes cookies taste deeper.
Fine salt: cuts sweetness, boosts flavor, important in small amounts not too much.
Melted chocolate: adds rich coating, sweet and bitter notes, contains sugar and fat.

Ingredient Quantities

Unsalted butter, softened, 225 g (1 cup)

Icing sugar, also called confectioners sugar, 110 g (3/4 cup)

Large egg yolk, 1

Vanilla extract, 1 teaspoon

All purpose flour, 250 g (2 cups)

Cornstarch (corn flour), 50 g (1/3 cup)

Fine salt, 1/4 teaspoon

Optional: Pearl sugar or coarse sanding sugar, 2 tablespoons

Optional: Melted chocolate for dipping, 60–100 g

How to Make this

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1. Preheat your oven to 175 C (350 F) and line baking trays with parchment paper.

2. Sift the icing sugar, then cream it with the softened unsalted butter (225 g) until pale and fluffy, a couple minutes with a hand or stand mixer on medium speed. Don’t skip sifting or you’ll get lumps.

3. Add the large egg yolk and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, beat just until mixed in.

4. Sift together the all purpose flour (250 g), cornstarch (50 g) and 1/4 teaspoon fine salt, then fold into the butter mixture gently until it just comes together. Overmixing will make the cookies tough.

5. If the dough feels soft, chill it 20 to 30 minutes so it holds shape. For piping, fit a piping bag with a large star tip and fill it. No piping bag No problem roll small walnut sized balls and press lightly with a fork or the bottom of a glass.

6. Pipe or place dough on the prepared trays about
2.5 cm (1 inch) apart. If using, sprinkle pearl sugar or coarse sanding sugar on top now.

7. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes, until the edges are just turning golden. Rotate the trays halfway for even color. Don’t overbake they should be pale and tender.

8. Let cookies cool on the tray for 2 to 3 minutes so they set, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

9. If you want chocolate dipped cookies, melt 60 to 100 g of chocolate gently in short microwave bursts or over a double boiler, dip half the cooled cookie, place on parchment and let set. Store in an airtight tin at room temperature for several days.

Equipment Needed

1. Oven (preheat to 175 C 350 F)
2. Baking trays and parchment paper or silicone baking mats
3. Large mixing bowl
4. Electric hand mixer or stand mixer, or a sturdy whisk if needed
5. Fine mesh sieve or sifter for icing sugar and dry ingredients
6. Rubber spatula and a wooden spoon for folding and scraping
7. Piping bag with a large star tip, or roll small balls and press with a fork if you dont have one
8. Wire cooling rack
9. Microwave safe bowl or small saucepan plus a heatproof bowl for melting chocolate over a double boiler

FAQ

Q: Can I use salted butter instead of unsalted? A: Yes, you can, but skip or cut back the added salt. Salted butter varies in salt level so taste the dough if you can, and remember it may make the cookies a bit saltier than intended.

Q: My dough is too soft to pipe, what do I do? A: Chill it in the fridge for 20 to 30 minutes until firmer, or pop it in the freezer for 10 minutes. That helps the shapes hold while piping and keeps the cookies from spreading too much.

Q: How long and at what temperature do I bake them? A: Bake at 170°C (about 340°F) for 10 to 12 minutes, until the edges are just turning pale gold. They should still look a bit soft in the center, they crisp as they cool.

Q: Can I swap cornstarch for something else? A: You can use an equal amount of rice flour or potato starch for a similar tender crumb. All purpose flour alone works too but cookies will be less melt-in-your-mouth.

Q: How should I store these cookies? A: Keep them in an airtight tin at room temperature for up to a week. For longer storage freeze baked cookies in a sealed container for up to 3 months, or freeze shaped dough and bake later.

Q: Any tips for dipping in chocolate so it looks neat? A: Chill the cookies first so chocolate sets quicker. Use good quality chocolate, melt gently in short bursts in the microwave and stir, and tap off excess chocolate on the bowl edge before laying them on parchment. If you want a glossy finish you can temper the chocolate or add a tiny bit of coconut oil to the melted chocolate.

Homemade Danish Butter Cookies Recipe Substitutions and Variations

Unsalted butter (225 g): use salted butter (omit or cut the recipe salt), or swap for European-style butter for a richer taste; for a vegan option try a firm, high-fat plant butter, same weight, add 1/4 tsp salt — it works surprisingly well.
Icing sugar (110 g): powdered/confectioners sugar is the same thing; if you don’t have it, blitz granulated sugar in a blender to a fine powder and add 1 tsp cornstarch per cup to prevent clumping.
Large egg yolk (1): use 1 tbsp milk + 1 tbsp neutral oil for similar fat and moisture, or 1 whole small egg if you don’t mind a bit less tender texture; for a vegan swap try 1 tbsp aquafaba + 1 tsp oil.
Cornstarch (50 g): substitute tapioca starch or arrowroot, 1:1; potato starch also works, but if you use plain flour the cookies will be slightly less melt-in-your-mouth.

Pro Tips

1) Get the butter right. Room temp is good but not melty; if its too soft the cookies will spread and get greasy, too cold and you wont get that pale, fluffy cream. If your kitchen is warm, chill the dough 30 minutes before piping. If it’s rock hard, let it sit 5 to 10 minutes so you can pipe it without smashing the ridges.

2) Weigh and sift, dont skip it. Icing sugar and cornstarch love to clump, and lumps ruin the texture and the look. Weighing the flour/cornstarch gives way more consistent cookies than cups, especially if you live somewhere humid.

3) Piping vs rolling: for those pretty ridges use a large star tip and a steady squeeze, hold the bag almost vertical. No tip? Roll walnut-sized balls, press lightly with a fork or the bottom of a glass. If the dough sticks to your tip or bag, chill it a few minutes, or dust the tip with a tiny bit of sifted flour or powdered sugar.

4) Watch the bake and finish smart. Cookies should stay pale with only the edges barely golden, so take them out at the first sign of color, they set as they cool. Rotate trays halfway and use an oven thermometer if you doubt your oven. For chocolate dipping, melt gently and dont overheat; if it seizes add a little neutral oil or a teaspoon of hot cream, and let the chocolate cool slightly before dipping so it sets glossy, not dull.

Homemade Danish Butter Cookies Recipe

Recipe by Tessa Jones

0.0 from 0 votes

I’m sharing my Simple Butter Cookie Recipe because these buttery rounds literally melt in your mouth and will have you wondering how such impossibly tender cookies come together so easily.

Servings

servings

Calories

134

kcal

Equipment: 1. Oven (preheat to 175 C 350 F)
2. Baking trays and parchment paper or silicone baking mats
3. Large mixing bowl
4. Electric hand mixer or stand mixer, or a sturdy whisk if needed
5. Fine mesh sieve or sifter for icing sugar and dry ingredients
6. Rubber spatula and a wooden spoon for folding and scraping
7. Piping bag with a large star tip, or roll small balls and press with a fork if you dont have one
8. Wire cooling rack
9. Microwave safe bowl or small saucepan plus a heatproof bowl for melting chocolate over a double boiler

Ingredients

Unsalted butter, softened, 225 g (1 cup)
Icing sugar, also called confectioners sugar, 110 g (3/4 cup)
Large egg yolk, 1
Vanilla extract, 1 teaspoon
All purpose flour, 250 g (2 cups)
Cornstarch (corn flour), 50 g (1/3 cup)
Fine salt, 1/4 teaspoon
Optional: Pearl sugar or coarse sanding sugar, 2 tablespoons
Optional: Melted chocolate for dipping, 60–100 g

Directions

Preheat your oven to 175 C (350 F) and line baking trays with parchment paper.
Sift the icing sugar, then cream it with the softened unsalted butter (225 g) until pale and fluffy, a couple minutes with a hand or stand mixer on medium speed. Don’t skip sifting or you’ll get lumps.
Add the large egg yolk and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, beat just until mixed in.
Sift together the all purpose flour (250 g), cornstarch (50 g) and 1/4 teaspoon fine salt, then fold into the butter mixture gently until it just comes together. Overmixing will make the cookies tough.
If the dough feels soft, chill it 20 to 30 minutes so it holds shape. For piping, fit a piping bag with a large star tip and fill it. No piping bag No problem roll small walnut sized balls and press lightly with a fork or the bottom of a glass.
Pipe or place dough on the prepared trays about
5 cm (1 inch) apart. If using, sprinkle pearl sugar or coarse sanding sugar on top now.
Bake for 10 to 12 minutes, until the edges are just turning golden. Rotate the trays halfway for even color. Don’t overbake they should be pale and tender.
Let cookies cool on the tray for 2 to 3 minutes so they set, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
If you want chocolate dipped cookies, melt 60 to 100 g of chocolate gently in short microwave bursts or over a double boiler, dip half the cooled cookie, place on parchment and let set. Store in an airtight tin at room temperature for several days.

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.