Butter Cookies Shortbread Style (Printable Version)

Crisp and tender butter cookies with vanilla and buttery richness, ideal for icing and sprinkles decoration.

# What You'll Need:

→ Dough

01 - 1 cup unsalted butter, softened (227 g)
02 - 3/4 cup granulated sugar (150 g)
03 - 1 large egg, at room temperature
04 - 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
05 - 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour (280 g)
06 - 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
07 - 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt

→ Decoration (optional)

08 - Royal icing or glaze, as desired
09 - Sprinkles or sanding sugar

# Cooking Steps:

01 - In a large bowl, cream together the softened butter and sugar until light and fluffy, about 2 to 3 minutes.
02 - Beat in the egg and vanilla extract until fully combined.
03 - In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and sea salt.
04 - Gradually add the dry ingredients to the butter mixture, mixing just until combined; avoid overmixing.
05 - Divide the dough in half, shape each into a disk, wrap in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least one hour.
06 - Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line baking sheets with parchment paper.
07 - On a lightly floured surface, roll out one disk of dough at a time to a 1/4-inch thickness. Cut into shapes using cookie cutters.
08 - Place cut cookies 1 inch apart on the prepared baking sheets.
09 - Bake for 10 to 12 minutes, until edges are just beginning to turn golden.
10 - Allow cookies to cool on the baking sheets for 5 minutes, then transfer to wire racks to cool completely.
11 - Once cooled, decorate as desired with royal icing, glaze, and sprinkles.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The dough comes together in minutes, making these perfect for last-minute baking when you need something impressive.
  • They're endlessly customizable—decorate them however you want, or leave them plain and let the butter shine.
  • Unlike finicky pastries, these cookies are forgiving and almost impossible to mess up once you understand the basics.
02 -
  • Overmixing the dough after adding flour is the fastest way to end up with tough, crumbly cookies instead of tender ones—your hand can stop mixing before your eyes think it's done.
  • Cold dough is your secret weapon; it keeps the cookies from spreading into lacy wafers and helps them hold their shape, especially if you're cutting intricate designs.
  • Pull them out of the oven when the edges are golden but the centers still look slightly soft—they finish cooking on the warm pan and stay tender inside.
03 -
  • Room temperature ingredients mix together more smoothly and create a more uniform dough—cold butter and eggs lead to lumps and uneven texture.
  • If you want to make chocolate butter cookies or add almond extract, the dough is flexible enough to handle variations without changing the method.
  • A bench scraper makes rolling and cutting easier because it prevents sticking without adding excess flour, which would toughen the cookies.
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