Description
Delight in these classic Danish Butter Cookies that melt in your mouth with every bite. Made with a perfect blend of European salted butter, sugar, and a unique combination of all-purpose and cake flour, these cookies offer a delicate crisp texture and rich buttery flavor. Easy to pipe and decorate, they are ideal for gifting or enjoying with a cup of tea.
Ingredients
Units
Scale
Butter Mixture
- 1 cup (227 g) European salted butter, room temperature
- 1/2 cup (100 g) granulated sugar
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
Wet Ingredients
- 2 egg yolks
- 2 teaspoons (10 g) vanilla extract
- 1 tablespoon (15 g) whole milk, plus more to soften
Dry Ingredients
- 2 cups (220 g) all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup (50 g) cake flour
Topping
- Coarse sugar for decorating
Instructions
- Prep the refrigerator and baking mats: Make space in your refrigerator for a baking sheet to chill the shaped cookies and line two baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone mats for baking. This ensures proper chilling and prevents over-spreading during baking.
- Cream butter, sugar, and salt: Using a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the room temperature butter on medium until smooth. Gradually add granulated sugar and salt while mixing on low, then increase speed to medium until the mixture is light and fluffy.
- Incorporate egg yolks, vanilla, and milk: While the mixer runs on medium speed, add in egg yolks, vanilla extract, and whole milk. Mix thoroughly and scrape down the bowl sides to ensure even blending.
- Mix dry ingredients and combine: Whisk together all-purpose flour and cake flour in a separate bowl. Add the flour mixture to the mixer in two batches, mixing on low speed until fully incorporated and no flour traces remain. If the dough feels too stiff to pipe, add an additional tablespoon of milk to soften.
- Pipe the cookies: Transfer the dough to a large piping bag fitted with a ½-inch open star tip. Pipe 2-inch-sized cookies in your desired shapes (rosettes, pretzels, circles, or squares) onto the prepared baking sheets, spacing them 2 inches apart. Optionally, sprinkle with coarse sugar or festive sprinkles. Chill in the refrigerator for 20-30 minutes to prevent over-spreading.
- Preheat the oven: Set the oven to 350°F (175°C) and position the rack in the middle.
- Bake the cookies: Bake chilled cookies for 10-15 minutes, until the edges are just lightly golden brown. Cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring to wire racks to reach room temperature.
Notes
- Use room temperature butter for easy mixing; it should be slightly cool (~67°F or 19°C) but soft enough to leave an indentation when pressed.
- Room temperature eggs help cookies bake evenly; place cold eggs in warm water for 5 minutes to speed this up.
- Don’t over-mix the batter to avoid developing gluten which makes cookies tough.
- Watch the cookies closely as baking times vary with cookie size and shape.
- You can substitute the cake flour and all-purpose flour mix with 260 grams of all-purpose flour alone, but the combination gives the best texture.
- Measure flour accurately using a kitchen scale or by fluffing and lightly spooning the flour into measuring cups.
- If using unsalted butter, add ¼ teaspoon kosher salt to maintain flavor balance.
- Store cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days, or freeze for up to 3 months.
- The shaped cookie dough can be chilled refrigerated 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: 110
- Sugar: 6 g
- Sodium: 45 mg
- Fat: 7 g
- Saturated Fat: 4.5 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 2 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 11 g
- Fiber: 0.3 g
- Protein: 1 g
- Cholesterol: 25 mg
