Description
Classic Butter Cookies featuring soft, buttery swirls partially dipped in rich chocolate and decorated with festive holiday sprinkles. These melt-in-your-mouth cookies are perfect for Christmas celebrations and are made with simple ingredients like butter, sugar, and vanilla or almond extract for a deliciously tender treat.
Ingredients
Scale
Cookie Dough
- 1 cup (226g) unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 2/3 cup (126g) granulated sugar
- 3 large egg yolks
- 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
- 2 teaspoons vanilla or almond extract
- 2 tablespoons (30ml) milk
For Chocolate Dip (Optional)
- 10 oz Ghirardelli Chocolate Wafers
- Sprinkles (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat and Prepare Baking Sheet: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a large cookie sheet with a silicone baking mat to prevent sticking.
- Cream Butter and Sugar: In a stand mixer, beat the room-temperature unsalted butter with granulated sugar on medium speed until the mixture is well combined and fluffy.
- Add Egg Yolks and Extract: Incorporate the egg yolks and vanilla or almond extract into the butter and sugar mixture, beating until fully blended.
- Mix Dry Ingredients and Form Dough: Add the all-purpose flour and salt into the mixer and beat until the dough begins to form. Then add the milk and continue beating until the dough reaches a stiff consistency.
- Prepare Piping Bag: Fit a large piping bag with an Ateco 825 large open star tip. Place about 1 cup of dough into a separate large piping bag, pressing the dough down firmly, then drop this filled bag into the piping bag fitted with the tip.
- Pipe Cookies: Pipe large swirls about 1 ½ inches wide onto the prepared baking sheet, spacing each cookie about 2 inches apart to allow for spreading.
- Bake: Bake one tray at a time in the preheated oven for 9-11 minutes, or until the edges are lightly golden but the cookies are still soft.
- Cool: Remove cookies from oven and let them cool on the baking sheet for 5-10 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Optional Chocolate Dip: If dipping, wait until cookies are completely cooled. Melt half of the chocolate wafers in a microwave-safe bowl at 50% power in 30-second intervals, stirring after each until melted, taking care not to burn the chocolate.
- Dip and Decorate: Dip each cookie partially into the melted chocolate, tap off excess chocolate on the bowl’s edge, place on a parchment- or silicone mat-lined baking sheet, and add sprinkles while the chocolate is still wet.
Notes
- To Store: Store cooled cookies in an airtight container at room temperature. If dipped in chocolate, wait for the chocolate to set completely before storing. Place wax paper between layers if stacking cookies. Consume within 1 week for plain cookies and 3-4 days for chocolate-dipped ones.
- To Freeze: Freeze cookies in a freezer-safe container with wax paper between layers (for chocolate-dipped cookies). Keep frozen for up to 3 months and thaw at room temperature before serving.
- Piping Tips: Use an Ateco 825 large open star tip for classic swirl shapes.
- Do not overfill piping bags; use about 1 cup of dough at a time and press dough down to fit comfortably in the palm.
- Use hand strength to pipe cookies; the dough softens with use, making piping easier.
- If dough clogs the piping tip, clean it with a knife or reshape dough with fingers as needed.
- If a swirl does not come out well, re-roll the dough and try piping again.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cookie
- Calories: 110
- Sugar: 6g
- Sodium: 30mg
- Fat: 7g
- Saturated Fat: 4g
- Unsaturated Fat: 3g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 12g
- Fiber: 0.3g
- Protein: 1g
- Cholesterol: 30mg
