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Traditional Danish Butter Cookies Recipe | Classic Holiday Treat

Classic Danish butter cookies with a tender, melt-in-your-mouth crumb, piped into pretty wreaths and baked to pale golden perfection. Simple pantry ingredients and a quick chill keep the ridges sharp and the texture crisp.
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Prep Time 25 minutes
Cook Time 12 minutes
Total Time 45 minutes

Ingredients
  

Ingredients

  • 1 cup (226 g) unsalted butter, softened
  • 3/4 cup (90 g) confectioners’ sugar
  • 1 large egg, room temperature
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
  • 1/4 teaspoon almond extract (optional)
  • 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
  • 2 cups (240 g) all-purpose flour
  • 1/4 cup (30 g) cornstarch
  • Coarse sanding sugar (optional, for topping)
  • Chocolate for dipping (optional)
  • Festive sprinkles (optional)

Instructions
 

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C) and line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
  • Soften the butter until it yields easily to a gentle press but is not greasy.
  • Beat the softened butter and confectioners’ sugar on medium speed for 2 to 3 minutes until pale and fluffy, then scrape down the bowl.
  • Mix in the egg, vanilla, and optional almond extract until smooth, then add the salt and mix just to combine.
  • Whisk the flour and cornstarch together, then add to the mixer in two additions and mix on low until a soft, thick, pipeable dough forms without overmixing.
  • Fit a piping bag with a large open star tip and fill it with the dough, pressing to remove any air pockets.
  • Pipe 2-inch wreaths or rosettes on the prepared sheets, spacing them about 2 inches apart.
  • Refrigerate the trays for 15 to 20 minutes to help the cookies retain their ridges.
  • If desired, sprinkle the piped cookies with coarse sanding sugar.
  • Bake for 10 to 13 minutes, rotating the tray halfway, until the edges are light golden and the centers look set.
  • Let the cookies cool on the tray for 5 minutes, then transfer to a rack to cool completely; they will crisp as they cool.
  • Once fully cool, optionally dip half of each cookie in melted chocolate and add sprinkles, then let set until firm.

Notes

Large shapes may need 1–2 extra minutes; watch for pale golden edges for tender centers. Store in an airtight tin at room temperature for up to 2 weeks, or freeze baked cookies up to 2 months. For unbaked dough, pipe, freeze solid, then bake from frozen adding 1–2 minutes. If dough is too stiff to pipe, let it sit 5–10 minutes or add 1–2 teaspoons milk. Use parchment and chill piped dough to keep shapes sharp.