The smell of fresh butter cookies right out of the oven is just excellent and heartwarming.

Baking cookies is one of my favorite activities during the Holiday Season. Butter cookies are buttery, tender cookies that can be enjoyed by themselves or with your favorite cup of tea or coffee.

butter cookies

Soft and rich in flavor, those delicious butter cookies will become your holiday standard.

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With the help of only five ingredients, which are staples in your pantry, and twenty minutes from beginning to end, you will enjoy pure bliss.

They make the best hostess gift or cookie exchange.

In this Article

Why you will love this recipe

You only need 5 ingredients to create this recipe and I am sure all are already in your pantry.

Takes 20 mintes from begging to end which is perfect if you have last minute guest coming over.

Party perfect as everyone will love how flavorful and delicate they are.

The perfect baking with children recipe. Your little one will love to create those wonderful sweet gems.

What makes Butter Cookies so unique?

Soft tender and only 5 ingredients, one being water. Those little divine morsels of sweet goodness will please everyone in your family.

Adding a hint of almond extract and will bring those cookies to the next level.

Bite into those soft pillowy cookies, and you will never be the same. Delicate and full of flavor.

Your house will have that wonderful scent that will lead everyone to your kitchen. However, watch out as they seem to disappear when left unattended.

Butter cookies on a cake stand with Christmas decorations around it.

Ingredients needed to make these butter cookies

Unsalted butter – I always use unsalted butter in my cooking or baking to control the amount of sodium. Salted butter not only adds too much salt to your dish, but it changes the flavor.

Flour – All-purpose, unbleached. Sift before using.

Sugar – granulated sugar

Almond extract – gives it a wonderful flavor to the cookies

Water – to keep your cookies moist

butter cookies in a white plate surrounded by holly

Equipment Needed

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Mixing bowl – to combine all your ingredients

Cookie sheet – to bake your cookies

Fork – to create the indent on the top of. your cookies

butter cookies

Baking tips

Work all the ingredients in a bowl. The butter will tend to soften, so do not manipulate it too long.

Those cookies should not look golden on the top at all. As you know your oven best, the timing guides you.

Do press lightly with the fork, but do not go through.

Use a Silpat or parchment sheet to cover your cookie sheet.

Can I make the dough ahead of time?

Yes! if you want to make the cookie dough ahead of time, you can store it in the refrigerator, wrapped in plastic wrap, for up to two days.

How to store butter cookies

Once the cookies are baked, they can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to a week.

I am not particularly eager to freeze them as they will lose the buttery softness once defrosted.

Pro Tips

  • Make many of them, as they tend to disappear under your watchful eyes.
  • Do not play too long with the dough, as the butter will melt between your fingers and make it difficult to shape your cookies.

Butter Cookies

5 from 42 votes
butter cookies
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 20 minutes
Servings: 24 cookies
Those little divine morsels of sweet goodness will please everyone in your family

Ingredients 

  • 8 ounces unsalted butter
  • ½ cup sugar
  • 2 tablespoons water
  • ½ teaspoon almond extract
  • 2 cups flour

Instructions

  • Add ingredients, flour last, and work with a fork. Make little balls and flatten with the back of a fork in a buttered cookie sheet.
  • Bake at 325° for 10 minutes.

Nutrition

Calories: 733kcal | Carbohydrates: 72g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 46g | Saturated Fat: 29g | Cholesterol: 121mg | Sodium: 8mg | Potassium: 80mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 25g | Vitamin A: 1415IU | Calcium: 23mg | Iron: 2.9mg

Giangi’s Kitchen provides nutritional information, but these figures should be considered estimates, as a registered dietician does not calculate them.

Did you make this?

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Recipe originally published on 12/21/2012