• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar

Beyond the Butter logo

  • home
  • recipe box
  • about
  • work with me
  • subscribe
menu icon
go to homepage
  • home
  • recipe box
  • about
  • work with me
  • subscribe
    • Amazon
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
    • YouTube
  • subscribe
    search icon
    Homepage link
    • home
    • recipe box
    • about
    • work with me
    • subscribe
    • Amazon
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
    • YouTube
  • ×

    Published: Dec 10, 2018 • Modified: Feb 24, 2023 • This site generates income via ads and may contain affiliate links. See my privacy policy linked in the footer.

    Homemade Butter Cookies

    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe
    Images of homemade butter cookies from Beyond the Butter®.

    Homemade Butter Cookies are a classic recipe that can be made for any occasion and holiday! They are simple yet sophisticated cookies with a rich, buttery taste!

    Randomly placed homemade butter cookies on a white background | © Beyond the Butter®
    Stacked homemade snowflake butter cookies with one placed in the front with light blue background | © Beyond the Butter®
    Jump to:
    • 6 Reasons to Love This Easy Butter Cookies Recipe
    • The Best Cookies to Add to Your Holiday Baking Tins
    • How to Make Homemade Butter Cookies
    • Recommended Cookie Baking Tools
    • 5 Tips for Using Cookie Stamps
    • Can I Freeze Butter Cookie Dough?
    • 📖 Recipe

    6 Reasons to Love This Easy Butter Cookies Recipe

    • Easy to make
    • They're soft on the inside with a little crispy outside
    • Each bite gives you a nice crumble like a shortbread cookie
    • Only 7 ingredients needed
    • You can easily change out the cookie cutter for each holiday
    • Perfect for adding to your holiday cookie tins

    I love the simplicity of this butter cookie and how good they taste! I hope you give them a try this holiday season!

    Stacks of homemade butter cookies in white cupcake liners | © Beyond the Butter®

    The Best Cookies to Add to Your Holiday Baking Tins

    Besides these homemade butter cookies, here are a few more cookies that would be great for your holiday baking tins!

    • Just baked peppermint bark brownie crinkle cookies on a parchment paper lined baking sheet.
      Peppermint Bark Brownie Crinkle Cookies
    • Closeup image of chocolate thumbprint cookies on white dessert plate.
      Chocolate Thumbprint Cookies
    • Closeup of holiday themed cut out sugar cookies on a red and white dessert plate.
      The Best Cut Out Sugar Cookies
    • Overhead image of classic peanut butter blossoms on a parchment lined blue dessert platter.
      Classic Peanut Butter Blossoms
    Stacks of homemade butter cookies shaped like snowflakes in white cupcake liners | © Beyond the Butter®

    How to Make Homemade Butter Cookies

    Below is a simple step-by-step overview of how to make these homemade buttery shortbread biscuits!

    1. Whisk the dry ingredients. This includes all-purpose flour, baking powder, and salt.
    2. Mix together the wet ingredients. Use a hand mixer or stand mixer to blend the butter, granulated sugar, eggs, and vanilla extract together. Add the dry ingredients to the wet and blend completely.
    3. Chill the dough. It needs a minimum of 1 hour in the refrigerator before moving on to the next step.
    4. Roll out and stamp. Roll out the dough onto a lightly floured work surface. Then stamp out the snowflake shapes with the snowflake cookie stamp (or whatever shape you prefer). Be sure to read my 5 best tips below for using cookie cutters!
    5. Chill the cookies. This can be done while you preheat the oven. You can place them in the freezer or refrigerator. Any little bit of keeping the dough chilled will help prevent your cookies from spreading during baking.
    6. Bake. The recommended baking time is 8-10 minutes at 325ºF. After baking, allow the cookies to cool before enjoying them!

    Recommended Cookie Baking Tools

    Set of 4 Easy to Use Beautiful, Intricate Assorted Snowflake Pastry/Cookie Stampers
    Wilton Wave Baking Cups - 24 count, white
    Premium Stainless Steel Mixing Bowls (Set of 6) Stainless Steel Mixing Bowl Set
    KITCHENAID KP26M1XFL Professional 600 Stand Mixers, 6 quart, Matte Fresh Linen
    KitchenAid KHM926CA 9-Speed Digital Hand Mixer with Turbo Beater II Accessories and Pro Whisk
    Wilton Treat Boxes, White
    Pusheen Cookie Jar
    Silpat Non-Stick Silicone Baking Mat (Set of 2)
    OXO Good Grips 11 Pound Stainless Steel Food Scale with Pull-Out Display
    Sabatier 5154549 Triple Rivet Wide Turner, Black
    Farberware Classic Wood Rolling Pin
    GIR Ultimate Whisk 2-Piece Set
    GIR: Get It Right All Silicone Mini, Skinny & Ultimate Spatula 3 Pc Set
    Tovolo Silicone, Non-Stick, Pastry Prep Mat, 25x18 Inches
    USA Large Cookie Sheet
    The Smart Baker Half Sheet 13 x 18 inches Perfect Parchment Paper - Pre-Cut Parchment Paper Baking Sheets
    Cooling Rack Stainless Steel Half size - Commercial Grade Steel 11.5" x 16.5" | 1 Piece | Cooking Rack Designed To Fit Perfectly Into Baking Half Sheet Pan | Only From Indigo True Company
    Zassenhaus Magnetic Retro Kitchen Timer
    Randomly placed snowflake shaped homemade butter cookies on a white background | © Beyond the Butter®

    5 Tips for Using Cookie Stamps

    Cookie stamps and cookie cutters are an easy way to elevate the look of your cookies. Here are 5 simple tips for using them with this homemade butter cookies recipe.

    1. 1. Chill the dough. Just like with my chocolate thumbprint cookies, I like to chill the dough for at least 1 hour before rolling it out. I find it to be easier to work with when using the cookie stamps.
    2. Alternatively, you can chill the dough overnight. If you choose this option, you may want to shape the dough into discs, as you would for pie crust, so it's easier to roll out the next day. When ready to bake, take the dough out of the refrigerator to bring it to room temperature for 30 minutes. 
    3. 2. Lightly flour your work surface. Add a little flour to your work surface and a rolling pin to help roll out the cookie dough.
    4. 3. Keep it thick. Most cookie stamps work well when the dough is rolled out thick. Anywhere from ½" - ⅝" is ideal.
    5. 4. Lightly flour the cookie stamp. As your dough becomes warmer due to it being out at room temperature, it's helpful to have your cookie stamp lightly floured. It helps to release the cookie onto the baking mat.
    6. 5. Chill the dough....again. This time for only 15-20 minutes. It really helps to keep the details on the cookie stamp! While one set of cookies is baking, you can have another set in the refrigerator or freezer chilling.
    Stack of snowflake shaped homemade butter cookies in a white cupcake liner on a white background | © Beyond the Butter®

    Can I Freeze Butter Cookie Dough?

    Yes, you can freeze butter cookie dough, but I suggest doing it after cutting out the cookies. Place them on a parchment paper or wax paper lined baking sheet that's tightly covered with plastic wrap.

    📖 Recipe

    Randomly placed homemade butter cookies on a white background.

    Homemade Butter Cookies

    Author: Jennifer
    Homemade Butter Cookies are a simple, yet sophisticated cookie that has a rich, buttery taste! Switch up the cookie stamp to use for any holiday!
    5 from 2 votes
    (prevent your screen from going dark while making this recipe)
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Prep Time 15 minutes
    Cook Time 10 minutes
    Chilling Time 1 hour
    Total Time 1 hour 25 minutes
    Course Cookies, Dessert
    Cuisine American
    Servings 108 cookies
    Calories 48 kcal

    Ingredients
     

    • 4 cups All-Purpose Flour
    • 1 teaspoon Baking Powder
    • ½ teaspoon Salt
    • 1 cup Unsalted Butter (room temperature)
    • 2 cups Granulated Sugar
    • 2 Large Eggs (room temperature)
    • 2 teaspoon Vanilla Extract

    Instructions

    • In a medium bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
      4 cups All-Purpose Flour, 1 teaspoon Baking Powder, ½ teaspoon Salt
    • In a separate bowl, using a hand mixer or stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the unsalted butter and granulated sugar together on medium-high speed until light and fluffy. Add in the eggs and the vanilla extract.
      1 cup Unsalted Butter, 2 cups Granulated Sugar, 2 Large Eggs, 2 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
    • Add in the whisked dry mixture and mix on low speed until it's well blended.
    • Cover the dough tightly with plastic wrap and chill for a minimum of 1 hour (or overnight) in the refrigerator. See notes for an alternative way of chilling the dough.
    • Adjust the oven rack to the 2nd level mark (just above center) and preheat the oven to 325ºF. Line baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone mats and set aside. 
    • Roll out the dough (½″-⅝″ thickness) onto a clean, lightly floured work surface. Using a lightly floured cookie stamp or cookie cutter, stamp out each cookie and place it on the parchment-lined baking sheet.
      For a well-defined cookie shape, chill the cookies in the refrigerator for 10-15 minutes before placing them in the oven to bake.
    • Bake the cookies for 8-10 minutes (my cookies did well at 10 minutes) at 325ºF. Remove the cookies from the oven and allow them to cool on the cookie sheet for about 5 minutes before transferring them to a cooling rack.
    • Store cooled cookies in an airtight container with a slice of bread for up to a week.

    Recipe Notes

    • The number of cookies this recipe yields will depend on the size of your cookie cutter or cookie stamp. Using this snowflake cookie stamp gave me 9 dozen cookies.
    • After making the cookie dough, instead of chilling it as a whole, you can divide it into two sections, then roll out each one between 2 sheets of lightly floured wax paper to a ½″-⅝″ thickness. Chill the slabs of dough in either the refrigerator or freezer.
    • If you're chilling the cookie dough in the bowl, only chill it in the refrigerator.
    • Recipe adapted from A Recipe Sampler by St. Andrew's Evangelical Lutheran Church cookbook.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 48kcal | Carbohydrates: 7g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 2g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 0.5g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 8mg | Sodium: 16mg | Potassium: 7mg | Fiber: 0.1g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 57IU | Calcium: 4mg | Iron: 0.2mg

    Nutritonal information provided above is an estimate only and will vary based on specific ingredients used.

    Tried this recipe and loved it?Snap a pic and share it with me over on Instagram tagging @beyond.the.butter and #beyondthebutter in your caption or stories!
    Randomly placed snowflake shaped homemade butter cookies on natural parchment paper background | © Beyond the Butter®
    « Chocolate Covered Peanut Butter Christmas Trees
    Almond Sprinkle Cookies »

    © All images & content on BeyondtheButter.com are copyright protected. You may not republish, redistribute, or otherwise use any images, recipes, or content, in part or in whole, without express written permission from the author. Beyond the Butter® is a registered trademark of Jennifer Switzer. All rights reserved. For more information, please read my Policies page.

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

      Leave a Review and Star Rating Cancel reply

      Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *






    1. Megan Kim says

      December 15, 2020 at 12:14 pm

      5 stars
      Hi! I'm planning to make these as part of a Christmas gift and was wondering if I don't have a cookie stamp, do you think I can add sprinkles to it instead? I have Christmas cookie cutters but they're going to look plain on it's own, and so I was thinking of adding some red/green/white sprinkles to make them colourful.

      Reply
      • Jennifer says

        December 15, 2020 at 1:28 pm

        Oh absolutely, that's a terrific idea!

        Reply
        • Jeanne says

          October 21, 2022 at 5:57 pm

          Where did you find your cookie press? Beautiful cookies.

        • Jennifer says

          October 22, 2022 at 1:03 pm

          Thank you. They're from Amazon, I believe, but I have also seen them at Michaels. I have a link to them under my "Recommended Cooking Baking Tools" section above.

    2. Carolyn, MOB says

      May 31, 2022 at 7:39 am

      5 stars
      Thank you for the recipe and tips! I have an imprint stamp for my daughter’s wedding and will definitely try this for cookies to be included in the hotel guests’ goodie boxes. For how long do you believe the baked cookies could be frozen? I’d like to prepare them ahead of time. Is there any different method you’d recommend? Thank you!

      Reply
      • Jennifer says

        May 31, 2022 at 11:03 am

        You're welcome! I would say you could keep these frozen for up to 3 months. The method for freezing the baked cookies isn't that much different from freezing the cookie dough. Let the baked butter cookies cool completely, then freeze them on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet. Once frozen, keep them stored in a well-sealed container (separate layers with wax or parchment paper) or freezer bag.

        Reply
    3. Laurel says

      October 24, 2022 at 9:45 pm

      Can this dough be used in a cookie press?

      Reply
      • Jennifer says

        October 25, 2022 at 8:53 am

        I've never tried this, so can't give you a definitive yes or no. I think the dough might be a little too thick for something like that, but you could always try a little bit of the cookie dough in one and see how it goes!

        Reply
    4. Nam says

      November 18, 2022 at 12:45 am

      Hi, this is such a yummy recipe. Can you tell me measurement in grams ?

      Reply
      • Jennifer says

        November 18, 2022 at 10:58 am

        Ah, shoot, I'm sorry, I don't have them for this recipe! This was before I had started to weigh my ingredients, but plan to remake them this holiday, so will add them in!

        Reply

    Primary Sidebar

    hello! image

    Welcome to my blog! I'm Jennifer, and I love creating and sharing dessert recipes that are sweet, simple, and fun to make and bring me—and hopefully you and your loved ones—wonderful memories! Learn more about me and my inspiration for starting Beyond the Butter!

    Beyond the Butter® Favorites

    • Baking tray filled with bakery style lemon blueberry muffins garnished with slices of lemons and blueberries.
      Bakery Style Lemon Blueberry Streusel Muffins
    • Slice of 2 layer chocolate chip cake on it's side on a brown paper background.
      Chocolate Chip Cake
    • Overhead image of small batch chocolate cupcakes in vintage metal baking tin.
      Small Batch Chocolate Cupcakes
    • Stack of three lemon bars on white background.
      Super Easy Lemon Bars
    • Overhead image of classic peanut butter blossoms on a parchment lined blue dessert platter.
      Classic Peanut Butter Blossoms
    • Angled image of sliced single layer chocolate cake on parchment paper with slices of cake on small dessert plates around it and a knife on parchment paper.
      Single Layer Chocolate Cake

    Cake Recipes

    • Slices of moist banana cake on ceramic dessert plates on a dark wood background.
      Moist Banana Cake
    • Slices of chocolate chip ricotta cake on a marble cake round with small bowl of mini chocolate chips nearby.
      Chocolate Chip Ricotta Cake
    • Stack of three pumpkin pie cake bars on a parchment paper lined bottom.
      Pumpkin Pie Cake Bars
    • Slices of mini strawberry sheet cake topped with strawberry buttercream frosting and fresh strawberries with one slice on its side.
      Mini Strawberry Sheet Cake
    • Individual no-bake strawberry cheesecakes topped with strawberry glaze and a fresh strawberry on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet.
      Individual No-Bake Strawberry Cheesecakes
    • Small lemon cream cheese pound cake slice on a small dessert plate on white background.
      Small Lemon Cream Cheese Pound Cake

    Featured On

    Beyond the Butter features

    Follow Me On Pinterest

    Follow Beyond the Butter® on Pinterest | © Beyond the Butter®

    Footer

    ↑ back to top

    Resources

    • Privacy Policy
    • Recipes
    • Shop

    Newsletter

    • Subscribe
    • Instagram
    • Facebook
    • Pinterest

    Contact

    • Work with Me
    • About

    © 2023 Beyond the Butter®, All Rights Reserved.