Description
Classic homemade butter cookies that are tender, buttery, and perfectly sweetened. These cookies are piped into beautiful swirls using a star tip and baked until the edges just start to turn golden. Optional chocolate and sprinkle decoration adds a festive touch, making them ideal for holidays or any special occasion.
Ingredients
Scale
Dry Ingredients
- 2 ¼ cups flour
- ½ teaspoon salt
Wet Ingredients
- 1 cup unsalted butter (2 sticks, softened to room temperature)
- 2 egg yolks (at room temperature)
- ¾ cup sugar
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1-2 Tablespoons of milk (to adjust dough consistency)
Optional Decoration
- Chocolate melting wafers
- Sprinkles
Instructions
- Mix Dry Ingredients: In a medium bowl, combine the flour and salt thoroughly. Set this mixture aside for later use.
- Cream Butter and Sugar: In a separate mixing bowl, cream the softened butter and sugar together until the mixture is light and fluffy, which helps incorporate air into the dough.
- Add Egg Yolks: Mix in the egg yolks fully, scraping down the sides of the bowl to ensure even blending.
- Add Vanilla Extract: Stir in the vanilla extract, distributing the flavor evenly throughout the batter.
- Combine Flour Mixture: Gradually add the flour and salt mixture to the wet ingredients in thirds, mixing well between additions.
- Mix Until Just Combined: Stir until there are no more visible streaks of flour but avoid overmixing to keep the cookies tender.
- Preheat Oven: Set the oven to 350°F (175°C) to prepare for baking.
- Prepare Dough for Piping: Transfer a small amount of dough to a piping bag fitted with a large star tip. The dough should be thick yet pipeable. For extra sturdiness, consider double-bagging the piping bag to prevent blowouts.
- Adjust Dough Consistency if Needed: If the dough feels too stiff to pipe smoothly, mix it back into the bowl and add one tablespoon of milk. Stir well and try piping again.
- Pipe Cookies: Pipe swirls about 1 ½ to 2 inches in diameter onto a parchment-lined baking sheet, spacing them approximately 2 inches apart to allow for spreading.
- Bake: Bake the cookies for 10 to 12 minutes or until the edges just begin to turn golden brown, signaling they are perfectly cooked.
- Cool Cookies: Remove the baking sheet from the oven and allow the cookies to cool for about 5 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Melt Chocolate (Optional): Place chocolate melting wafers in a microwave-safe bowl and heat in 15-second intervals, stirring between each until smooth and melted.
- Dip Cookies in Chocolate (Optional): Dip each cooled cookie into the melted chocolate, letting excess chocolate drip off before placing them back on a wire rack.
- Add Sprinkles (Optional): While the chocolate is still wet, sprinkle a pinch of sprinkles on top. Allow the chocolate to set completely before gently detaching the cookies from the rack using a knife.
Notes
- Make sure the butter and egg yolks are at room temperature for smooth mixing and better texture.
- If the dough is too stiff, adding milk will help achieve a pipeable consistency.
- Double-bag the piping bag to prevent breakage during piping stiff dough.
- Baking time may vary slightly depending on your oven; watch for golden edges as the indicator of doneness.
- Optional chocolate and sprinkles add a festive and decorative touch but can be skipped for plain butter cookies.
