🍪 Classic Butter Cookies

🕐 Total Time

Prep: 15 minutes
Chill (optional): 30 minutes
Bake: 10–12 minutes
Total: 25–30 minutes

🍽️ Yields

About 30–36 cookies

🧈 Ingredients

1 cup (230 g) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
2/3 cup (130 g) granulated sugar
1 large egg
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract (or almond extract for variation)
2 ¼ cups (280 g) all-purpose flour
¼ teaspoon salt

🍴 Optional

A few tablespoons of milk, if needed (for piping consistency)
Chocolate, sprinkles, or jam for decorating

🥣 Instructions

1. Preheat oven

Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.

2. Cream butter and sugar

In a large bowl, beat butter and sugar together with a hand mixer or stand mixer for 2–3 minutes, until light and creamy.

3. Add egg and vanilla

Beat in the egg and vanilla extract until smooth and combined.

4. Add dry ingredients

Add the flour and salt gradually.
Mix until a soft dough forms — it should be smooth, not sticky.
If it’s too stiff for piping, add 1–2 teaspoons of milk.

5. Shape the cookies

You have two options:

Piped cookies: Use a piping bag fitted with a large star tip and pipe swirls, rings, or lines onto the baking sheet.
Rolled cookies: Roll dough into balls, flatten gently with a fork, or use cookie cutters.

6. Chill (optional)

Chill the shaped cookies for 20–30 minutes in the fridge — this helps them hold their shape while baking.

7. Bake

Bake for 10–12 minutes, or until edges are just lightly golden.
Remove from the oven and let cool on the sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to a rack to cool completely.

8. Decorate (optional)

Dip the ends in melted chocolate, drizzle on top, or sandwich with a bit of jam between two cookies.

🌿 Storage

Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 week.
Freeze unbaked dough logs or piped shapes for up to 3 months — bake from frozen, adding 1–2 minutes to baking time.

🍯 Variations

Vanilla Almond: Use almond extract instead of vanilla.
Lemon Butter Cookies: Add 1 tbsp lemon zest to the dough.
Chocolate-Dipped: Dip half the cookie in melted dark or milk chocolate and let set.

🍪 Tips for Success

Use softened butter, not melted — this gives the right texture.
For piped cookies, make sure dough is smooth and slightly soft (add milk if too firm).
Don’t overbake — they should stay pale with lightly golden edges.