Butter Cookies are simple, flavorful cookies loved for holidays and parties. Soft, delicious homemade cookies that are easily made and are always a classic favorite.
The Best Butter Cookies are a classic cookie recipe that never goes out of style and works perfectly for any menu, celebration or just because! I have made them for years for everything from showers to birthdays to Christmas parties. Butter Cookies are perfectly delicious and appropriate for so many types of entertaining!
Butter Cookies
If you have the image in your mind of those hard little round cookies from the grocery store, then you are in for a pleasant treat when you make these butter cookies. These are rich, buttery, delicious and somewhat addictive in the way that it’s hard to stop at just one!
While they are also delicious without the buttercream, they are just a bit more festive with a dollop of buttercream in colors and flavors to suit the occasion or the season. My fluffy white buttercream is beautiful at Christmas or for a wedding shower. The strawberry buttercream, looks beautiful for baby showers, Mother’s Day, birthdays or Easter. And then there’s chocolate! Personally I think my chocolate buttercream is suited to any kind of party or celebration – or just because. It’s amazing!
These cookies are so easy to make too! Yet despite how simple they are to make, the little bit of frosting on top makes them so elegant.
My butter cookies recipe makes four dozen small cookies or two dozen larger sized cookies. This is so helpful so that you decide just what size you need for your event. And it’s also a perfect amount for having them to include on Christmas Cookie Trays or cookie gift boxes to share with friends.
Now, I am far from a professional cake or cookie decorator and I have to remind myself not to be overly critical of my frosting swirls on top of these cookies. But as I walk in to any party with them in hand, no one else seems to care that the swirl isn’t exactly perfect on top. I love people like that! 🙂
Here’s my butter cookie recipe. It seriously will become a favorite! Hope you love it!
Butter Cookies Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 cups (240 g) all-purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon (2 g) baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon (0.65 g) Kosher salt
- 3/4 cup (170 g) butter, softened
- 1 cup (198 g) sugar
- 1 large (50 g) egg
- 1 teaspoon (5 g) vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350º F.
- Add flour, baking powder, and salt to a medium bowl. Whisk to combine. Set aside.
- Cream together butter and sugar until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add egg until well-combined. Slowly spoon in flour mixture mixing on medium speed until well-combined, then add vanilla and mix just until combined.
- Scoop cookie dough by the tablespoon onto a large baking sheet, leaving about 2-inches between each cookie. Press down on cookie dough ball lightly with the palm of your hand or the bottom of a glass until about 1/2-inch thick. Bake 10-13 minutes until lightly browned.
- Cool completely.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Enjoy!
Robyn xo
Should I use salted or unsalted butter? I want to make these for a cookie exchange at my work. I am very excited.
I like to use salted butter, Michelle. Thanks!
How much butter?? It says 1 and 1/2 sticks 3/4 cup. Is it 1 1/2 + 3/4? 1 1/2 does not equal 3/4.
Hi Dawn,
I’m sorry if this wasn’t clear. I’ve given the butter amount in the recipe both in stick version and cup version. Either 1 1/2 sticks of butter, or 3/4 cup, which equals the same amount. I’ve edited the recipe to put parentheses around 3/4 cup. I hope you enjoy the cookies. Thanks so much!
Hello:
I am not a ‘baker’. I can cook – no problem. I thought I’d be ‘brave’ and try a simple butter cookie recipe. Brave little me went to the market yesterday and bought all the ingredients needed for this recipe.
Today was the big day. I followed the recipe to the letter and the cookies turned out wonderful. For me this is a big deal. I have some confidence now and won’t be apprehensive next time.
Thanks,
Cathy
You have no idea how happy this makes me to read, Cathy! I’m so excited to hear that you have that “baking confidence” and that you enjoyed the process! Oh – and I’m happy you liked the cookies too!
Thanks so much! xo
I added 2 tsp of almond flavoring and topped em off with a whole almond. Yum!!
Sounds like a delicious addition!
I tried these cookies last weekend and I’m telling you these are the best cookies,I topped them with the chocolate buttercream frosting and then topped some with sugar, my family LOVES them. They are very easy to make.
Wonderful, Dawn! I’m thrilled that you and your family enjoyed them! Thanks!
Have you ever tried these with nutella buttercream? AMAZING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
A lot of thoughd did not work. Sry!
No cookies left for me! XD
Sorry am just testing out the emojis you can do on here. I know, very imature but I CAN’T RESIST!!!
🙂 🙁 <3 [:( ]:( [:) ]:) 😮 😉
Class I loving them! I asked who wanted to taste them, I was crouded by kids trying to get a sample! Thanks for the great recipe! 🙂 <3
Going to be using this recipe for my science fair project and I can’t wait to try it!
Best of luck to you, Emma, with your project! Hope you enjoy the cookies! Thanks!
You are such a nice person! You respond to everyone! Wish I could do that with my website but I have school!
Eh, I’ll be able to someday. 🙁