Danish Butter Cookies are buttery, and crisp, and taste better than those from the blue container! They are easy to make too and only require 4 main ingredients!
My love for butter cookies is right up there with my love for shortbread cookies. I love cookies that are self-sufficient, that is, they need no icing. And to make matters easier they are so easy to make.
These cookies need no icing, decoration, or bells and whistles. The butteriness speaks for itself. But you could definitely dip them in melted chocolate if you want to.
My kids and I enjoy these cookies so much! You guys, I have been making a lot of cookies these days. Something tells me my freezer will be filled with homemade cookies soon!
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Why You'll Love This Recipe
- Butter cookies make the perfect Christmas gift! These are the cookies to make to share with neighbors and friends! They are so tasty! I love them with a steaming cup of tea!
- They taste like shortbread cookies. I adapted this recipe from my Homemade Shortbread Cookies recipe. I just added egg and vanilla extract. I also used granulated sugar instead of icing sugar in this one for some texture.
- They are perfect for baking with kids! This is the cookie recipe to make. If you have kids, make these cookies with them. So much fun!
- They are pretty and make a great presentation. Butter cookies are so pretty. Look at all those swirls! They will look great on any Holiday table. I made them for Thanksgiving this year (2022) and they were a hit!
What Are Danish Butter Cookies?
Danish Butter Cookies are popular cookies typically sold in round blue tins and are quite common. As the name suggests, the most important ingredient in Danish Butter Cookies is butter. The cookies are notably buttery.
Danish Butter Cookies are said to have originated from a bakery in a small village in Denmark. The name 'Danish' indicates origins from Denmark. These Butter Cookies are served at Christmas time in North America and Europe.
Ingredients for Danish Butter Cookies
The four main ingredients needed for Danish Butter Cookies are butter, sugar, egg, and flour. Adding vanilla extract for flavor and salt to create a balanced flavor profile takes the cookies to next level good! Here are some notes about the ingredients:
1. Butter. Use high-quality butter here. My favorite butter to use is the European grass-fed butter called Kerrygold. The more flavorful the butter, the more flavorful the cookies will be since the butter makes up a significant part of the cookies.
2. Sugar. Use granulated sugar for more texture as opposed to using powdered sugar.
3. Egg. One egg adds richness and makes the butter cookie dough pipeable. Without adding the egg, the dough will be tougher and harder to pipe out of the piping bag.
4. Vanilla Extract. Enhance the flavor of butter cookies by adding good-quality vanilla extract to the dough. You could substitute vanilla extract with vanilla bean paste.
5. Flour. You need good quality all-purpose flour also known as plain flour for this recipe.
6. Salt. Salt is needed to balance the sweetness especially if you use unsalted butter. And salt just makes baked goods taste better!
How To Make Danish Butter Cookies
1. Cream together room-temperature butter and sugar.
2. Add eggs and vanilla extract and mix.
3. Add flour and salt then mix to form a dough.
4. Place dough into a piping bag with an open or closed star piping tip attached.
5. Pipe the dough onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Pipe the cookies into 1-2 inch swirl circles.
6. Place the cookies in a 350 degree Fahrenheit oven and bake for 12 to 15 minutes until slightly brown.
7. Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet then serve.
Chef's Tip: Make sure your butter is softened so that the dough is pliable enough to pipe easily. The butter for these cookies should be softened, not melted.
Important Tools For This Recipe (affiliate)
- For this recipe, I used this open-star piping tip by Ateco (Ateco #826).
- I also used these disposable piping bags.
- Here are closed star piping tips ( Ateco #849) you could use in place of the open star ones.
- You could also use the Wilton 1m piping tip to pipe the cookies.
Piping Tips For Butter Cookies
Piping Butter Cookies is really easy. Follow these tips for the best-piped cookies:
- Ensure the butter used in the cookie dough is at room temperature so the dough is easily pipeable.
- If using a disposable piping bag, ensure that you double the bags to avoid the bag breaking.
- Just draw circles with the dough using the piping tip for easy butter cookies.
- For rose-like-looking cookies, start at a center point then pipe the cookie dough into a simple swirl circle, leaving a small hole in the middle.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are Danish butter cookies the same as shortbread cookies?
Danish butter cookies and shortbread cookies are very similar in taste and texture. However, shortbread cookies have a more crumbly texture as they do not contain eggs while Danish butter cookies contain eggs and have a softer texture. Another thing that makes both cookies similar is that they both contain a lot of butter and do not contain any baking powder or baking soda.
What if I do not have the right piping tip to pipe butter cookies?
If you do not have the star piping tip, put the cookie dough into one side of a Ziploc bag. Using your hands push the dough toward the pointed tip of the same side of the bag as the dough. Using a pair of scissors, cut the tip of the bag then pipe the cookie into circles. They won't have the swirls, but they'll be delicious!
Can I cut butter cookies with a cookie cutter?
Yes, you could definitely cut butter cookies using a cookie cutter of your choice. If you intend to use a cookie cutter first chill the cookie dough for one hour, then place the dough between two parchment papers and roll out into a quarter inch thick. Cut using cookie cutters then proceed to bake.
Why are they called Danish butter cookies?
Because they originated in Denmark.
More Cookie Recipes You Might Love
Watch How To Make Butter Cookies
Here is a video on how to make Danish Butter Cookies. SUBSCRIBE to my YouTube Channel so you do not miss a video.
If you make these Butter Cookies, please consider leaving a comment and star review below. I love hearing from you!
Recipe
Danish Butter Cookies
Ingredients
- 1 cup butter (16 tablespoons or 230g) softened and at room temperature
- ½ cup granulated sugar (100g)
- 1 large egg at room temperature
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2 cups all purpose flour (250g) spooned and leveled to measure
- ¼ teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350° F (180° C). Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper.
- In a large bowl and using a hand mixer, cream together the butter and sugar until fluffy. About 2 minutes.
- Add the egg and vanilla extract then beat to combine.
- Add in the flour and salt, and beat to form a dough. It will take a while but keep beating just until the mixture comes together.
- Place the dough into a piping bag fitted with an open star piping tip or a closed star piping tip.
- Pipe the cookies into 1-2 inch swirl circles or roses, leaving at least one-inch of space between each cookie.
- Bake one sheet of cookies at a time in preheated oven for 15 minutes until slightly golden brown. Start checking around 12 minutes. The cookies might be ready around 12 minutes if you made them smaller than mine. But if you made them larger than mine, there might need a few more minutes in the oven.
- Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet.
- Serve warm or at room temperature. Store leftovers in an airtight container.
Notes
Nutrition
Wow!your recipe is owesome. The product is yummy
Thank you so much, namesake!
I made those cookies tonight. They were delicious and so easy to make. I was planning on having them for a Christmas Eve cocoa or tea but they are all gone!
Haha! So glad to hear that, Nathalie. Thank you for the feedback!
Ma please can you help me with cookies recipe for flour 100g? Thanks
Can I do this recipy for commercial purpose. Thanks
I don't see why not.
Good evening,how long will it last in the store shelf before going ransid
Hi Chinma, store for up to 2 weeks in an airtight container.
Please how do I preserve the cookies for sale in a store?
I was just wondering why the dough was so thick? I couldn't pipe them.
They are delicious, just wished I could have piped them.
Lori
Hi Lori! Maybe it could be because the butter didn't soften enough.
In any case, the cookie dough has a thicker consistency and requires a bit of elbow grease to pipe.
Glad you were still able to enjoy them!
Have a wonderful weekend!