Description
These Christmas Butter Cookies are classic, buttery, and tender treats perfect for the holiday season. Made with simple ingredients like flour, butter, egg yolks, sugar, and vanilla, they are piped into elegant swirls and baked until golden. Optionally decorated with melted chocolate and sprinkles, these festive cookies are easy to make and sure to delight friends and family.
Ingredients
Scale
Dry Ingredients
- 2 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
- ½ tsp salt
Wet Ingredients
- 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 2 egg yolks
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1-2 tbsp milk (optional)
Other
- ¾ cup sugar
- Optional: melted chocolate for dipping
- Optional: sprinkles for decoration
Instructions
- Mix flour and salt: In a medium-sized bowl, whisk together the flour and salt to combine evenly, then set aside.
- Cream butter and sugar: In a large mixing bowl, beat the softened butter and sugar together using an electric mixer or by hand until the mixture becomes light and fluffy, which typically takes 3 to 5 minutes.
- Add egg yolks and vanilla: Incorporate the egg yolks and vanilla extract into the creamed butter-sugar mixture and continue to beat until everything is thoroughly combined.
- Stir in flour mixture: Gradually add the prepared flour and salt mixture into the wet ingredients, stirring gently until just combined to avoid overmixing. If the dough feels too stiff, optionally add 1 to 2 tablespoons of milk to achieve the desired consistency.
- Preheat oven and prepare baking sheet: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper to prevent sticking during baking.
- Pipe cookie dough: Transfer the dough into a piping bag and pipe 1½-inch swirls onto the prepared baking sheet, leaving some space between each cookie for spreading.
- Bake the cookies: Bake in the preheated oven for 10 to 12 minutes, or until the edges of the cookies turn a light golden color.
- Cool and decorate: Allow the cookies to cool completely on a wire rack. Once cooled, optionally dip them in melted chocolate and sprinkle festive decorations on top for a beautiful finish.
Notes
- Use room temperature butter for easier creaming and better texture.
- Do not overmix the dough once the flour is added to keep cookies tender.
- Milk is optional and can be added if dough is too dry to pipe smoothly.
- Store cookies in an airtight container to keep them fresh for up to one week.
- For variations, decorate with colored sugar or nuts instead of chocolate and sprinkles.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 12 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
