Description
Danish Butter Cookies are classic melt-in-your-mouth treats made with European salted butter, a blend of all-purpose and cake flour, and a hint of vanilla. These cookies are piped into various shapes, chilled to prevent spreading, and baked to a delicate golden crispness, perfect for festive occasions or everyday indulgence.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients
- 1 cup (227 g) European salted butter room temperature
- ½ cup (100 g) granulated sugar
- ⅛ teaspoon salt
- 2 egg yolks
- 2 teaspoons (10 g) vanilla extract
- 1 tablespoon (15 g) whole milk or more to soften
- 2 cups (220 g) all-purpose flour
- ½ cup (50 g) cake flour
- coarse sugar for decorating
Instructions
- Prepare refrigeration and baking mats: Clear space in your refrigerator to accommodate a baking sheet for chilling the shaped cookies for 20-30 minutes to avoid over-spreading. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats and set aside.
- Cream butter, sugar, and salt: In a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, cream the room temperature butter on medium speed until smooth. Slowly add sugar and salt while mixing on low, then increase to medium speed and mix until light and fluffy.
- Add egg yolks, vanilla, and milk: With the mixer running on medium speed, add egg yolks, vanilla extract, and milk until fully incorporated, scraping down the bowl sides as needed.
- Combine dry ingredients and add to mixture: Whisk together all-purpose flour and cake flour in a medium bowl. Add the flour mixture in two batches to the mixer on low speed, scraping down the bowl sides to ensure thorough mixing. Add an extra tablespoon of milk if the batter is too thick to pipe.
- Pipe the cookies: Transfer the batter to a piping bag fitted with a ½-inch open star tip. Pipe 2-inch shapes like rosettes, pretzels, circles, or squares onto prepared baking sheets, spacing them at least 2 inches apart. Optionally, sprinkle with coarse sugar or festive sprinkles. Chill the shaped cookies in the refrigerator for 20-30 minutes.
- Preheat oven: Preheat your oven to 350°F and position the oven rack in the middle for even baking.
- Bake the cookies: Bake chilled cookies for 15 minutes or until the edges are just lightly golden brown. Allow cookies to cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
Notes
- Use room temperature butter (around 67°F or 19°C) for easy mixing and proper texture.
- Bring eggs to room temperature before use by immersing them in warm water for 5 minutes.
- Avoid overmixing the batter to prevent gluten development which can toughen the cookies.
- Monitor baking closely as times can vary by cookie size and shape.
- You may substitute cake flour with additional all-purpose flour (260 g total) for a similar crisp texture.
- Measure flour accurately using a kitchen scale or spoon and level method to prevent dry, crumbly 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.
- Chill shaped cookies up to 2 days before baking, covering if longer than 30 minutes; freeze shaped dough for 2-3 months and bake from frozen, adding a few minutes to baking time.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cookie
- Calories: 110 kcal
- Sugar: 6 g
- Sodium: 50 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
