It is getting to be that time of year where I start thinking about holiday baking. I usually make cookie boxes for my neighbors and friends, and I am always looking for new recipes to use. There are a bunch of cookies that I just have to include every year though. These butter cookies are always in my line up.
These cookies have a similar texture to shortbread, but a bit softer. They are vanilla almond flavored, which is pretty much perfection. The dough is made soft enough to pipe, so you can pipe them in lovely designs. I like circles best so I usually do that.
These are great plain, but also really fun to dip partially in chocolate and decorate with sprinkles. My favorite combo is white chocolate and multicolored sprinkles. Dark chocolate tastes great with them too, and I think some holiday themed sprinkles would look so cute on these.
You do need piping bags and a large star tip for piping to make these.
Butter Cookies
Ingredients
- 1 cup unsalted butter room temp
- 3/4 cup sugar
- 1 1/2 tsp vanilla
- 1 tsp almond extract
- 1 large egg room temp
- 2 1/4 cups flour spooned and leveled or 281g
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 2 tbsp milk give or take
Instructions
- Line a few baking sheets with parchment and heat oven to 350.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer, cream the butter and sugar on medium until fluffy, scraping down the bowl a few times.
- Add the vanilla and almond and mix well. Add the room temp egg and salt and mix until combined and light and fluffy, scraping the bowl as needed.
- Add the flour and mix on low until combined. Add the milk and mix until well combined. The dough needs to be pipeable but not too runny. If you aren't sure, spoon a little into your piping bag and test it out and then adjust. The dough should be stiff enough to hold its shape completely, but shouldn't break apart when you are piping.
- Pipe circles or lines onto parchment lined sheets. Bake for 11-13 minutes until just turning brown at the edges and fully cooked on top. Don't overbake.
- Cool on a rack until fully cool then dip 1/2 in chocolate and decorate if you like.
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