Description
These Danish Butter Cookies melt in your mouth with a perfect crisp yet tender texture. Made with a blend of all-purpose and cake flour, European salted butter, and vanilla, they are piped into charming shapes and baked to a delicate golden finish. Ideal for festive occasions or everyday treats, these cookies are rich, buttery, and irresistibly delightful.
Ingredients
Scale
Butter Mixture
- 1 cup (227 g) European salted butter, room temperature
- ½ cup (100 g) granulated sugar
- ⅛ teaspoon salt
Wet Ingredients
- 2 egg yolks
- 2 teaspoons (10 g) vanilla extract
- 1 tablespoon (15 g) whole milk, or more to soften
Dry Ingredients
- 2 cups (220 g) all-purpose flour
- ½ cup (50 g) cake flour
Decoration
- Coarse sugar for decorating
Instructions
- Prepare Refrigerator and Baking Mats: Clear space in your refrigerator to chill the shaped cookies and line two baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone mats. This chilling step prevents the cookies from spreading too much while baking.
- Cream Butter, Sugar, and Salt: Using a stand mixer with a paddle attachment, cream the European salted butter on medium speed until smooth. Gradually add granulated sugar and salt on low speed, then increase to medium speed and mix until the mixture is light and fluffy.
- Add Egg Yolks, Vanilla, and Milk: While mixing on medium speed, add the egg yolks, vanilla extract, and whole milk. Continue mixing until fully combined, scraping down the sides of the bowl for even incorporation.
- Incorporate the Flours: In a separate bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour and cake flour. Add the flour mixture to the mixer in two additions on low speed. Mix until combined and no visible flour remains. If the dough feels too thick to pipe, add an additional tablespoon of milk to soften it.
- Pipe the Cookies: Transfer the cookie dough into a large piping bag fitted with a ½-inch open star tip. Pipe 2-inch shapes such as rosettes, pretzels, circles, or squares onto the prepared baking sheets, spacing each cookie at least 2 inches apart. Optionally, sprinkle with coarse sugar or festive sprinkles. Chill the piped cookies in the refrigerator for 20-30 minutes before baking.
- Preheat Oven: Place a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat to 350°F (175°C).
- Bake Cookies: Bake the chilled cookies for 15 minutes or until the edges are just lightly golden brown. Allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheets for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
Notes
- Use room temperature butter (about 67°F or 19°C) to ensure easy mixing and smooth dough texture.
- Bring eggs to room temperature by placing them in warm water for 5 minutes to avoid uneven baking.
- Avoid over mixing the dough to prevent gluten development, which can make cookies tough.
- Monitor the cookies during baking closely as times may vary by shape and size.
- You can substitute all-purpose flour alone (260 g) if cake flour is unavailable, but the texture will be slightly different.
- Measure flour accurately, ideally with a kitchen scale, to prevent dry or tough dough.
- If using unsalted butter, add ¼ teaspoon kosher salt to the dough.
- Store cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days or freeze for up to 3 months.
- Chilled shaped dough can be kept in the fridge for up to 2 days covered, or frozen for 2-3 months; bake frozen dough a few minutes longer without thawing.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cookie
- Calories: 120 kcal
- Sugar: 6 g
- Sodium: 50 mg
- Fat: 8 g
- Saturated Fat: 5 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 3 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 12 g
- Fiber: 0.3 g
- Protein: 1.2 g
- Cholesterol: 30 mg
