Butter Cookies
These classic butter cookies are piped into swirls, baked until golden, then dipped in chocolate and finished with colourful sprinkles.
Butter cookies are a classic holiday favourite that never goes out of style. With their rich, buttery flavour and delicate crispness, these cookies are perfect for sharing with family and friends throughout the festive season.
Piped into elegant swirls, they look beautiful on any Christmas cookie tray and make a thoughtful homemade gift. After baking, the cookies are dipped halfway in chocolate and finished with colourful sprinkles, adding a cheerful touch that makes them especially festive.
Whether you enjoy them with a warm drink by the fire or package them up for holiday gifting, these butter cookies are sure to become a seasonal tradition.
Tips for Best Results
- Use a strong piping setup. The dough is thick and can burst disposable bags on its own. To prevent this, fill a disposable piping bag fitted with a Wilton 4B or 6B tip with the dough and place it inside a reusable piping bag . This double layer provides the strength needed to pipe the swirls without tearing the bag.
- Use very soft butter. The butter should be soft enough to beat smoothly but not melted. This ensures the dough pipes easily and the cookies bake tender and crisp.
- Do not skip the milk or cream. The added liquid keeps the dough smooth and pipeable, allowing you to create neat, defined swirls.
- Chill before baking. After piping, refrigerate the cookies for 20–30 minutes. This helps them hold their shape in the oven and prevents spreading.
- Line baking sheets with parchment paper. This makes it easy to remove the cookies without breaking their delicate edges.
- Keep piping consistent. Hold the piping bag vertically and apply even pressure to create uniform swirls that will bake evenly.
- Decorate after cooling. Allow the cookies to cool fully before dipping them in chocolate. This ensures the coating sets smoothly without melting or streaking.
- Add sprinkles right away. Decorate with sprinkles while the chocolate is still wet so they adhere securely.
Equipment You Will Need
To achieve the classic piped swirls and make the process easier, it helps to have the right tools on hand before you begin. Here is what you will need for this recipe:
- Large mixing bowl – for creaming the butter and sugar.
- Hand mixer or stand mixer – to beat the butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
- Reusable piping bag – strong enough to handle thick cookie dough.
- Disposable piping bag – to hold the dough inside the reusable bag for extra support.
- Wilton 4B or 6B piping tip – large open star tips create the classic butter cookie swirl.
- Baking sheets – lined with parchment paper for easy release.
- Wire cooling rack – to cool the cookies evenly before dipping in chocolate.
Ingredients & Substitutions
- Unsalted butter – Use real unsalted butter for the best flavour and texture. Do not substitute margarine or spreads, as they will not hold the shape of the piped cookies.
- Icing sugar (powdered sugar) – Creates a smooth, tender cookie. Granulated sugar will make the dough too grainy and stiff for piping.
- Egg yolk – Adds richness and helps bind the dough.-
- Vanilla extract – Provides classic flavour. You can also use the seeds from half of a vanilla bean for a stronger vanilla taste.
- All-purpose flour – The base of the cookies. Self-raising flour should not be used, as the cookies need to hold their shape rather than rise.
- Cornstarch (cornflour) – Helps create a delicate, melt-in-the-mouth texture. If you do not have cornstarch, you can use the same amount of flour, but the cookies will be slightly crisper.
- Salt – Balances the sweetness and enhances flavour.
- Milk or cream – Softens the dough to make it pipeable. Heavy cream will make the dough richer, but whole milk also works well.
- Chocolate for dipping – Milk chocolate was the preference in our house after testing as the cookies themselves aren’t particularly sweet, but you can also use dark, semi-sweet or white chocolate depending on your preference.
- Sprinkles – Add a festive touch. Use nonpareils, jimmies, or sanding sugar depending on the look you want.
Looking for More Christmas Cookies?
Check out more of my favourite Christmas cookies!
Buttery cherry snowball cookies with a sweet candied cherry centre, rolled in snowy icing sugar—perfect for a festive treat!
Soft, spiced Molasses Stamped Cookies with intricate designs are a festive holiday treat, perfect for gifting, parties, or cookie exchanges!
Festive pressed Christmas cookies with a buttery texture and vibrant colours, perfect for gifting, sharing, or holiday cookie exchanges!
Butter Cookies
Yields: About 36 cookies | Prep time: 15 minutes | Cook time: 12-15 minutes
Ingredients
- 250 g (1 cup plus 2 tablespoons) unsalted butter, very soft
- 125 g (1 cup) icing sugar (powdered sugar)
- 1 large egg yolk
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract (or seeds from ½ vanilla bean)
- 250 g (2 cups) all-purpose flour
- 25 g (2 tablespoons) cornstarch (cornflour)
- Pinch of salt
- 2 tablespoons milk or cream
For decoration
- 150 g (5 oz) dark chocolate, melted
- Sprinkles or sanding sugar
Directions
- Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F). Line baking sheets with parchment paper.
- In a large mixing bowl, beat the butter and icing sugar together until light and fluffy. (Image 1)
- Mix in the egg yolk and vanilla extract until smooth.
- Sift together the flour, cornstarch, and salt. Add to the butter mixture and stir until combined. (Image 2)
- Add the milk or cream and mix until a soft dough forms. (Image 3) The dough should be smooth and pipeable but still able to hold its shape.
- Fit a large reusable piping bag with a Wilton 4B or 6B piping tip and fill with dough. Place the disposable piping bag inside a reusable piping bag to prevent splitting. Pipe tight rosettes or swirls onto the prepared baking sheet. (Image 4)
- Place the baking sheets in the refrigerator for 20–30 minutes to chill the piped cookies before baking.
- Bake for 12–15 minutes, or until the edges are lightly golden. Allow to cool completely on a wire rack.
- Dip half of each cookie in melted chocolate and decorate with sprinkles. Allow the chocolate to set before serving.
Butter Cookies
These classic butter cookies are piped into swirls, baked until golden, then dipped in chocolate and finished with colourful sprinkles.
Ingredients
- 250 g (1 cup plus 2 tablespoons) unsalted butter, very soft
- 125 g (1 cup) icing sugar (powdered sugar)
- 1 large egg yolk
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract (or seeds from ½ vanilla bean)
- 250 g (2 cups) all-purpose flour
- 25 g (2 tablespoons) cornstarch (cornflour)
- Pinch of salt
- 2 tablespoons milk or cream
For decoration
- 150 g (5 oz) dark chocolate, melted
- Sprinkles or sanding sugar
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F). Line baking sheets with parchment paper.
- In a large mixing bowl, beat the butter and icing sugar together until light and fluffy.
- Mix in the egg yolk and vanilla extract until smooth.
- Sift together the flour, cornstarch, and salt. Add to the butter mixture and stir until combined.
- Add the milk or cream and mix until a soft dough forms. The dough should be smooth and pipeable but still able to hold its shape.
- Fit a large reusable piping bag with a Wilton 4B or 6B piping tip and fill with dough. Place the disposable piping bag inside a reusable piping bag to prevent splitting. Pipe tight rosettes or swirls onto the prepared baking sheet.
- Place the baking sheets in the refrigerator for 20–30 minutes to chill the piped cookies before baking.
- Bake for 12–15 minutes, or until the edges are lightly golden. Allow to cool completely on a wire rack.
- Dip half of each cookie in melted chocolate and decorate with sprinkles. Allow the chocolate to set before serving.
Recommended Products
As an Amazon Associate and member of other affiliate programs, I earn from qualifying purchases.
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
36Serving Size:
1 CookieAmount Per Serving: Calories: 122Total Fat: 8gSaturated Fat: 5gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 3gCholesterol: 27mgSodium: 9mgCarbohydrates: 12gFiber: 0gSugar: 6gProtein: 1g
This information is provided as a courtesy and for entertainment purposes only. This information comes from online calculators. Although frugalmomeh.com attempts to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures are only estimates.
