Danish Butter Cookies (Melt in Your Mouth) Recipe
Classic Danish Butter Cookies that melt in your mouth, made with rich European salted butter, delicate vanilla, and a blend of all-purpose and cake flours. These cookies are piped into charming shapes, chilled to prevent spreading, and baked to a light golden perfection. Perfect for festive occasions or a delightful everyday treat.
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
- Yield: 24 servings 1x
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Danish
Ingredients
Scale
Cookie Dough
- 1 cup (227 g) European salted butter (room temperature)
- 1/2 cup (100 g) granulated sugar
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
- 2 egg yolks
- 2 teaspoons (10 g) vanilla extract
- 1 tablespoon (15 g) whole milk (plus more if needed to soften)
- 2 cups (220 g) all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup (50 g) cake flour
For Decorating
- Coarse sugar (for sprinkling)
- Optional festive sprinkles
Instructions
- Prep the refrigerator and baking mats: Clear space in your refrigerator to chill the shaped cookies. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats and set aside.
- Cream butter, sugar, and salt: Using a stand mixer with a paddle attachment, beat the room temperature butter on medium speed until smooth. Gradually add the granulated sugar and salt while mixing on low speed, then increase to medium speed and beat until the mixture is light and fluffy.
- Add egg yolks, vanilla, and milk: With the mixer running on medium speed, incorporate the egg yolks, vanilla extract, and 1 tablespoon of whole milk. Mix until fully combined, then scrape down the bowl to mix all ingredients evenly.
- Combine and add dry ingredients: In a separate bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour and cake flour. Add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients in two parts, mixing on low speed and scraping down the sides after each addition until no traces of flour remain. If the dough is too stiff to pipe, add an additional tablespoon of milk.
- Pipe the cookies: Transfer the cookie dough to a piping bag fitted with a ½-inch open star tip. Pipe cookies approximately 2 inches in diameter in various shapes such as rosettes, pretzels, circles, or squares on the prepared baking sheets. Space 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 to prevent spreading when baking.
- 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 or until the edges are just lightly golden brown. Remove from the oven and allow cookies to cool on the baking sheets for about 5 minutes before transferring them to wire racks to cool completely to room temperature.
Notes
- Chilling the cookies before baking is crucial to maintain their shape and prevent over-spreading.
- You can experiment with different piping shapes and sprinkle decorations for festive occasions.
- Use European-style butter for the best flavor and texture, as it has a higher fat content compared to regular butter.
- Store cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to one week.
- For softer cookies, add a little more milk to the dough as needed to achieve the right consistency for piping.
Keywords: Danish butter cookies, butter cookies, melt in your mouth cookies, piped cookies, holiday cookies, vanilla cookies, classic Danish dessert