Classic Butter Cookies Recipe — Crisp, Buttery Rounds
Home / Recipes / Desserts / Classic Butter Cookies Recipe — Crisp, Buttery Rounds

Classic Butter Cookies Recipe — Crisp, Buttery Rounds

Make crisp, melt-in-your-mouth butter cookies with a simple, reliable method that yields uniform, golden rounds. Includes metric conversions, chilling guidance, and troubleshooting tips for perfect results every time.

⏱
Prep Time 15 min
🔥
Cook Time 30 min
⏰
Total Time 45 min
👥
Servings 4
⭐
Difficulty Easy
International Vegetarian Desserts Vegetarian International

About This Recipe

Make crisp, melt-in-your-mouth butter cookies with a simple, reliable method that yields uniform, golden rounds. Includes metric conversions, chilling guidance, and troubleshooting tips for perfect results every time.

Ingredients

  • 225 g (1 cup) unsalted butter, softened
  • 100 g (1/2 cup) granulated sugar
  • 100 g (1 cup) powdered (icing) sugar, sifted
  • 1 large egg yolk (optional) — about 18 g
  • 1 tsp (5 ml) vanilla extract or 1 tsp vanilla bean paste
  • 1/4 tsp (1.5 g) fine sea salt
  • 300 g (2 1/2 cups) all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled
  • Optional: 30 g (1/4 cup) cornstarch for extra tender texture
  • Optional finishing: extra powdered sugar for dusting or melted chocolate for dipping

Nutrition Facts

450 Calories 23% daily value
30.00g Protein 60% daily value
40.00g Carbs 13% daily value
15.00g Fat 23% daily value
5.00g Fiber 20% daily value

Instructions

  1. 1
    Step 1: Prep — Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Preheat oven to 170°C (340°F). Have a cookie cutter, rolling pin, or cookie press ready.
  2. 2
    Step 2: Cream butter and sugars — In a large bowl or stand mixer fitted with the paddle, beat the softened butter on medium speed until smooth and pale, about 1–2 minutes. Add granulated sugar and powdered sugar and cream until light and fluffy, about 2–3 minutes. Scrape down the bowl as needed.
  3. 3
    Step 3: Add egg yolk and flavor — Beat in the egg yolk (if using) and vanilla extract until incorporated. Add the salt and mix briefly.
  4. 4
    Step 4: Incorporate dry ingredients — Reduce speed to low. Add the flour (and cornstarch, if using) in two additions, mixing until just combined. The dough should come together and be soft but not sticky. If it's too soft, chill briefly.
  5. 5
    Step 5: Chill the dough — Turn the dough onto a piece of plastic wrap, flatten into a disk about 1 inch (2.5 cm) thick, wrap tightly and chill in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes (or up to 2 hours). For cookie press or piped shapes, transfer dough to a piping bag and chill 15–30 minutes until firm enough to shape.
  6. 6
    Step 6: Shape cookies — For rolled cookies: on a lightly floured surface, roll dough to 1/4 inch (6 mm) thickness and cut with cookie cutters. For drop cookies: chill until firm, then scoop 1 tablespoon (15 g) portions and roll into balls. For piped or pressed cookies: fit dough into cookie press or piping bag and prepare shapes on the baking sheet. Place cookies 2 inches (5 cm) apart.
  7. 7
    Step 7: Final chill (recommended) — Chill shaped cookies on the baking sheet for 10–15 minutes to reduce spreading and preserve shapes.
  8. 8
    Step 8: Bake — Bake on the middle rack at 170°C (340°F) for 10–14 minutes, until edges are just turning golden. Smaller or thinner shapes may need less time; thicker cookies will need more. Rotate sheets halfway through baking if necessary.
  9. 9
    Step 9: Cool — Remove from oven and let cookies rest on the sheet for 2–3 minutes, then transfer to a cooling rack to cool completely. If dusting with powdered sugar, wait until cooled.
  10. 10
    Step 10: Finish — Dip half the cookies in melted chocolate and let set, or sandwich two cookies with jam or buttercream for filled cookies. Store as instructed below.

💡 tips

For reliably shaped cookies, chill the dough after cutting and again on the baking sheet before baking. Use room-temperature butter (soft but not oily) for proper creaming — press with a finger: it should give slightly. Measure flour by spooning it into the cup and leveling or use a scale for accuracy. Watch the first batch for timing and visual cues: edges barely colored is ideal.

🔄 substitutions

Salted butter: omit the added salt and taste dough. Egg yolk: makes dough slightly richer and binds — omit for crumbly shortbread-style cookies. Cornstarch can replace 30–50 g of flour for a more tender, melt-in-your-mouth texture. For dairy-free: use a high-quality plant-based stick butter at the same weight. Swap vanilla for almond extract (use half the amount) or grated lemon zest for citrus flavor.

📦 storage

Store cooled cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days. For longer storage, layer with parchment and freeze up to 3 months; thaw at room temperature. Dough can be wrapped tightly and refrigerated for up to 48 hours or frozen for up to 3 months; thaw in the refrigerator before shaping.

Related Recipes