World's Best Butter Cookies Recipe - Food.com (2024)

220

Community Pick

Submitted by P48422

"I tested 8 different butter cookie recipes, looking for the "perfect" butter cookie. It had to be buttery, a little crumbly (like shortbread), and not too sweet. This is the winner. I think these are the Worlds Best Butter Cookie, courtesy of Chef Alice Medrich."

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Ready In:
33mins

Ingredients:
6
Yields:

48 cookies

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ingredients

  • 8 ounces unsalted butter
  • 34 cup granulated sugar
  • 14 teaspoon salt
  • 1 12 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
  • 1 large egg yolk
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour

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directions

  • Beat the butter, sugar, salt and vanilla together until smooth and creamy.
  • Mix in the egg yolk until well incorporated, scraping down the sides of the bowl at least once.
  • Add the flour and mix just until incorporated.
  • Scrape onto a lightly floured board and knead a few times, just until the dough smooths out.
  • Turn onto a sheet of plastic wrap and roll into a log, wrap up and refrigerate for several hours or freeze.
  • Before baking, preheat the oven to 325°F.
  • Line your baking sheets with parchment.
  • Slice the dough into slices about 1/8" thick and place them on the sheets about an inch apart (they won't be spreading very much, but they need air room around each cookie).
  • Bake until JUST beginning to turn golden around the edges, about 16-18 minutes.
  • Note: you can do many things with these cookies.
  • You could roll the dough out and cut shapes.
  • You could slice them even thinner and sandwich them with chocolate or jam or lemon curd.
  • You could make them and then dip them half into chocolate.
  • You could just make them and eat them, which is my favorite.
  • Whatever you do, they will be delicious.

Questions & Replies

World's Best Butter Cookies Recipe - Food.com (13)

  1. Hello, I'm using "gram" for ingredients measurement. May I know which conversion table I should refer to? I found conversion table online but seems like there are no standard figures. Varies. Need help ><

    Cheam A.

  2. Do these have to Be put in the refrigerator? Is that part of the recipe? Or is that only if you want to make them and bake them later?

    marnie1502

  3. I noticed that there is no baking soda or baking powder, is that standard for butter cookies?

    rose_queen7

  4. If hand piping, should the dough chill before piping to hold shape? If so, how long? Any other adjustments?

    Mschristine00

see 22 more questions

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Reviews

  1. Well, ta-da! I thought I recognized this recipe. I agree, this is the best butter cookie. I make them with a hand held beater, and they are always wonderful. It's that one egg yolk which turns them from ordinary to special. One of my kids always like a whole blanched almond planted in the middle.

    Jangomango

  2. I have been a Chef for 30 years. I don't understand all the negative responses here. I suggest a little more flour and 2tbs extra sugar to make the dough less wet. It cooks beautifully. Hot oven is the trick and leave on tray until completely cold. They crisp up beautifully. Can also be used as a slice base with great success

    Lana P.

  3. Wonderful buttery cookies with a flakey texture that were not too sweet (just like PetitFour described them). The flavor of these cookies reminds me of those Danish butter cookies that come in a round tin and are sold mostly during the holidays. My kids loved these cookies.

  4. I have been looking for a butter cookie that tastes like the ones Gramma used to bake. This is the recipe. Thanks, PetitFour, these are the best butter cookies ever!

    Terri F.

  5. Just tried these with 3/4 cup of virgin coconut oil vs the butter,,,o m g,,,,yummy:)

    armybaby

see 207 more reviews

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Tweaks

  1. I make this recipe every year. I use this recipe with ingredients exactly as shown but skip refrigeration roll out... and makes this the perfect recipe for my cookie press! Cook for 8 minutes at 400 degree oven (375 if convection) until edges start to slightly brown (shortened bake time due to room temp dough). Also I think a key is that the butter and eggs are also at room temp when mixing, do not try to mix from cold butter or eggs. I keep the pressed cookies simple and drizzle with 70% dark choc or a dark choc chunk pressed in center as soon as they come out of oven. A sprinkle of sea salt with the dark chocolate drizzle for the sweet salty treat and these are are hit! Not too sweet, perfectly flaky, and not too doughy! These are my favorite holiday treat, great to give as gifts or to bring for the hostess with a bottle of wine!

    • World's Best Butter Cookies Recipe - Food.com (25)

    Jeannette B.

  2. I love this cookies...it's yummmy...! I substituted about half a teaspoon of vanilla for Rum extract ;)

    • World's Best Butter Cookies Recipe - Food.com (27)

    dina8905

  3. YUM! This is the butter cookie recipe that you've been looking for. Stop looking for another recipe because THIS IS IT! I substituted about half a teaspoon of vanilla for almond extract. If you're new to baking, I recommend taking the butter out of the fridge for about half an hour to let it soften(makes it easier to cream). Also, you can skip refrigerating the dough if you're just going to roll it out and use cookie cutters. Great, easy, and fun recipe for kids too.

    raesos91

  4. I added a half teaspoon of Almold extract!

    Diane E.

  5. I used gluten free flour, a rice flour to be exact, and these came out really well. My son said they were very dry, but in a crumbly-good way. They were great dipped in tea.

    Katherine B.

see 9 more tweaks

RECIPE SUBMITTED BY

P48422

United States

  • 99 Followers
  • 142 Recipes
  • 8 Tweaks

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World's Best Butter Cookies Recipe  - Food.com (2024)

FAQs

What is the best butter for butter cookies in the world? ›

Of all the different kinds of butter available, European-style is the definitive way to go. European butter has at least 82% (and up to 90%) fat, while butter made in the United States typically only contains 80% fat. Sung and Gordon like Kerrygold butter, which is imported the United States from Ireland.

What are the top 3 cookies in America? ›

Top 10 Cookie Flavors
  • Chocolate Chip Cookies. Chocolate chip cookies are the quintessential cookie. ...
  • Snickerdoodle. ...
  • Sugar Cookies. ...
  • Peanut Butter Cookies. ...
  • White Chocolate Macadamia Nut Cookies. ...
  • Oatmeal Raisin Cookies. ...
  • Gingerbread Cookies. ...
  • Black & White Cookies.

What is the secret to moist cookies? ›

Cornstarch helps product soft and thick cookies. Using more brown sugar than white sugar results in a moister, softer cookie. An extra egg yolk increases chewiness. Rolling the cookie dough balls to be tall and lumpy instead of wide and smooth gives the cookies a bakery-style textured thickness.

Why are my butter cookies not crispy? ›

Adjust baking time to achieve the cookie texture desired. A little less time produces chewier cookies, a little more time makes them crispy. If you prefer softer cookies, remove them from the oven while they are still slightly under baked. Always check for doneness at the minimum baking time.

What butter do professional bakers use? ›

European butter is churned to have a higher milk fat content of at least 82%, while North American butter typically has around 80% milk fat. Gay Lea's Bakers Gold surpasses even European standards with 84% milk fat, making this unsalted, culinary-grade option the ideal choice for the finest baked goods.

What kind of butter makes the best cookies? ›

The best butter for your baked goods depends on what type of recipe you're whipping up. Unsalted, American-style butter works well in goods like cookies, pound cakes and pancakes that require the high-fat content of conventional butter and more flexibility with salt and flavor content.

What is the #1 cookie in the world? ›

Oreo is the best-selling cookie in the world. It is now sold in over 100 countries. Oreo was first produced in 1912 by the National Biscuit Company, now known as Na-Bis-Co.

What is the #1 cookie in the United States? ›

The chocolate chip cookie is far and away America's favorite cookie This should come as no surprise to anyone who enjoys the tasty treat. More than 53% of American adults prefer the cookies over the next most popular kind, peanut butter.

What is the #1 cookie in the US? ›

America's favorite cookie and the one dubbed “the American cookie” is the Chocolate chip cookie.

How can I make my cookies fluffier instead of flat? ›

Butter keeps cookies fluffy in two ways. First, creaming cold butter with sugar creates tiny, uniform air pockets that will remain in the dough it bakes up. Second, cold butter naturally takes a longer time to melt in the oven.

What is the secret ingredient to keep cookies soft? ›

Light corn syrup is another ingredient that you can add to cookie dough that will help it stay softer longer. The corn syrup you buy at the grocery store is not the high-fructose corn syrup that soft drinks are made with; it's a sugar that is liquid at room temperature and helps other sugars say liquid at high heat.

Should I use baking soda or baking powder in cookies? ›

Baking soda is typically used for chewy cookies, while baking powder is generally used for light and airy cookies. Since baking powder is comprised of a number of ingredients (baking soda, cream of tartar, cornstarch, etc.), using it instead of pure baking soda will affect the taste of your cookies.

Is it better to use butter or Crisco for cookies? ›

While shortening can be used as a replacement, it lacks the same depth of flavor and deliciousness that butter provides. So if you're looking for a truly flavorful cookie, we recommend sticking with butter. Plus, butter is also much easier to work with than shortening!

Are sugar cookies better with butter or shortening? ›

Which One Should I Use in Cookies? Basically, cookies made with butter spread more and are flatter and crisper if baked long enough. However, they are more flavorful than cookies made with shortening. Cookies made with shortening bake up taller and are more tender, but aren't as flavorful.

What is the best butter in the world? ›

Cabot Extra Creamy barely edged out the salted butter by Isigny Sainte-Mère, a storied brand out of Normandy, France. That butter scored 99.6 from the judges. Nevertheless, please note: A half-pound of Cabot Extra Creamy Sea Salted butter rings up at about $4.

Which country is famous for butter cookies? ›

Butter cookies, also known as Danish butter cookies, are cookies originating in Denmark consisting of butter, flour, and sugar. They are similar to shortbread cookies. The butter cookie is often categorized as a "crisp cookie" due to its texture, caused in part by the quantity of butter and sugar.

Is European butter better for baking cookies? ›

The higher butterfat content of European-style butter doesn't always lend itself well to recipes developed and written in North America. The higher fat content can weigh down cakes and cookies, making them too rich. It is, however, an obvious choice in French pastries like gâteau breton, pâte sucrée, and kouign-amann.

Why is Land O' Lakes butter so good? ›

European Style Butter, such as Land O Lakes® Extra Creamy Butter, is perfect for spreading on bread and for all your baking and cooking needs. Extra Creamy Butter has a higher fat content and rich and creamy texture, making everything taste better.

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