Description
Danish Butter Cookies are classic, buttery, and tender cookies studded with dried currants and flavored with lemon zest and vanilla. These crisp and delicate cookies are piped into charming rings, coated with sanding sugar for a delightful crunch, then baked until golden. Perfect for festive gift-giving or everyday treats.
Ingredients
Scale
Cookie Dough
- 1 cup (2 sticks, ½ pound, or 227 grams) unsalted butter, room temperature
- 1/2 cup (100 grams) granulated sugar
- 1 large egg, room temperature
- 1 tablespoon finely grated lemon zest
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 2 cups (250 grams) all-purpose flour
- 5 ounces (142 grams) dried currants
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
Finishing
- 1 handful sanding sugar
Instructions
- Prepare the dough: In a large bowl, use an electric mixer on medium speed to beat the butter and sugar together for about 3 minutes until combined and creamy. Then add the egg, lemon zest, and vanilla extract; continue beating until well combined. Gradually beat in the flour, dried currants, baking soda, and kosher salt until just combined, being careful not to overmix.
- Pipe the cookies: Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. Transfer about one-quarter of the dough into a piping bag fitted with a ½-inch (1.2-centimeter) star tip. Pipe small rings approximately 1¾ inches (3.6 centimeters) in diameter onto the prepared baking sheet. Repeat with the remaining dough, arranging the rings evenly spaced. Place the baking sheet in the freezer and freeze the dough rings for about 20 minutes until firm.
- Preheat oven and prepare sanding sugar: While the cookies chill, heat the oven to 350°F (180°C) and line two rimmed baking sheets with parchment paper. Pour a small amount of sanding sugar into a bowl.
- Coat and arrange cookies: Quickly dip the frozen cookie rings into the sanding sugar to coat thoroughly. Then transfer the sugared cookies about 1 inch apart onto the prepared baking sheets. Return any remaining dough rings to the freezer to keep firm until ready to bake.
- Bake the cookies: Bake the cookies in the preheated oven for 13 to 18 minutes, rotating the sheets halfway through baking to ensure even cooking. Bake until the cookies are golden around the edges but still delicate in the center.
- Cool on racks: Remove the baking sheets from the oven and transfer the cookies to wire racks to cool completely.
- Repeat baking with remaining dough: Repeat the coating and baking process for the remaining cookies, keeping dough chilled between batches.
- Storage: The cookies can be made up to 3 days ahead and stored in an airtight container at room temperature, or frozen for up to 2 months.
Notes
- Using room temperature butter and egg ensures the dough mixes smoothly and the cookies bake with a tender crumb.
- Freezing the piped dough rings helps them maintain shape during baking and results in nicely defined ridges from the star tip.
- Be sure to rotate the baking sheets halfway through baking for even color and doneness.
- Sanding sugar adds a delightful crunch and shimmer to the surface of the cookies.
- For best flavor, use fresh lemon zest and high-quality vanilla extract.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cookie
- Calories: 110
- Sugar: 6 g
- Sodium: 60 mg
- Fat: 7 g
- Saturated Fat: 4 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 3 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 11 g
- Fiber: 0.5 g
- Protein: 1 g
- Cholesterol: 20 mg
