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The Ultimate Classic Butter Cookies: Easy, Buttery, Melt-in-Your-Mouth Perfection

A pile of golden, star-shaped butter cookies stacked on a white ridged plate, illuminated by sunlight.
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Make classic butter cookies at home using basic ingredients. This simple recipe yields rich, melt-in-your-mouth cookies perfect for holidays or everyday treats.

Ingredients

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  • 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
  • 3/4 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 large egg yolk
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • Optional: 4 ounces semi-sweet chocolate for dipping

Instructions

  1. Beat the softened butter in a large bowl until creamy. Add the sugar and beat until the mixture is light and fluffy.
  2. Beat in the egg yolk and vanilla extract until just combined.
  3. In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour and salt. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, mixing on low speed until a soft dough forms. Do not overmix.
  4. Transfer the dough to a piping bag fitted with a star tip (like a Wilton 1M) or shape the dough into logs for slicing. If slicing, chill the dough for 30 minutes.
  5. Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line baking sheets with parchment paper.
  6. Pipe or slice the dough into desired shapes onto the prepared baking sheets, spacing them about 1 inch apart.
  7. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes, or until the edges are lightly golden brown. These cookies stay quite pale.
  8. Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.
  9. If dipping in chocolate, melt the chocolate according to package directions. Dip half of each cooled cookie into the melted chocolate and place them back on parchment paper to set.

Notes

  • For a Danish Butter Cookie copycat texture, ensure your butter is at room temperature but not melted.
  • You can use a cookie press instead of a piping bag for uniform shapes.
  • If you skip chilling the dough for slicing, the cookies will spread more, resulting in a crispier edge.
  • For a soft and chewy butter cookie, slightly reduce the baking time to 9 minutes.

Nutrition

Find it online: https://miameal.com/butter-cookies-easy-melt-mouth-perfection/