Description
Classic Danish Butter Cookies combine rich, buttery flavor with a tender, crisp texture for an irresistible treat. Perfectly balanced with vanilla and almond extracts, these cookies are easy to make and delightful to share, ideal for holiday baking or everyday indulgence.
Ingredients
Scale
Cookies
- 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 teaspoon almond extract
Instructions
- Preheat the oven: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) to ensure it reaches the correct baking temperature while you prepare the dough.
- Cream butter and sugar: In a large bowl, use a hand mixer or stand mixer to cream together the softened butter and granulated sugar until the mixture becomes light, fluffy, and pale in color, which helps create the cookie’s tender texture.
- Add extracts: Mix in the vanilla extract and almond extract thoroughly to infuse the dough with their aromatic flavors.
- Combine dry ingredients: Gradually sift in the all-purpose flour and salt, mixing gently until the dough just comes together without overmixing to keep the cookies tender.
- Shape the cookies: Transfer the dough to a piping bag fitted with a decorative tip or use a cookie press to pipe the dough onto ungreased baking sheets, maintaining even spacing between each cookie for proper baking.
- Bake: Place the baking sheets in the preheated oven and bake the cookies for 12-15 minutes or until the edges turn a light golden brown, signaling they are perfectly baked.
- Cool: Let the cookies cool on the baking sheets for a few minutes so they firm up, then transfer them to wire racks to cool completely before serving or storing.
Notes
- Using softened butter is key to achieving the right dough consistency and cookie texture.
- Piping or using a cookie press gives the classic ridged shape typical of Danish butter cookies.
- Do not overbake to avoid dry and hard cookies; edges should be just lightly golden.
- For almond flavor enhancement, you may garnish with sliced almonds before baking, if desired.
- Store cooled cookies in an airtight container to maintain freshness for up to one week.
