These light and crispy buttery Danish butter cookies are melt in your mouth cookies that are full of butter and sweet flavor.
To make these cookies, you will need super simple pantry staple ingredients like butter, sugar, and flour.
The flavor of these cookies isa rich buttery cookie, with a hint of sweetness that's satisfying but not overwhelming.
One of the joys of making these cookies at home is the ability to design them as you wish. Using a piping bag and various nozzles, you can create a variety of shapes, such as the classic swirl or ring.
As they bake, these designs hold their shape well, turning slightly golden around the edges while remaining pale and tender in the center.
You can even sprinkle them with coarse sugar for a touch of sparkle and crunch, or dip them in chocolate for an indulgent twist.
For more cookie recipes check out my buckeyes cookies, double chocolate cookies, brown butter chocolate chunk cookies, oreo chocolate chip cookies, alfajores, and tiramisu cookies.
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Why this recipe works
- Flavor- these cookies have a delicious rich buttery and sweet flavor that is not too overpowering and is perfect for dipping in hot coffee, tea, or hot chocolate!
- Texture- these buttery cookies have a melt in your mouth texture that are irresistible.
- Ease- these cookies come together in under an hour from start to finish and are made with a few simple ingredients.
- Better than store bought- these cookies have a perfect buttery flavor and are so much better than store bought! The texture, flavor, and everything about this is just better!
- Versatile- these can be enjoyed in so many ways, from dipping them in melted chocolate to sprinkling them with coarse sugar and festive sprinkle.
What are Danish butter cookies?
Danish Butter Cookies are a timeless classic known for their crumbly texture and buttery flavor. Originating from Denmark, these cookies have found their way into hearts and homes worldwide, especially during the holiday season.
The cookies are piped into characteristic shapes, such as swirls or circles, and have a buttery and melt-in-your-mouth texture.
Ingredients
Before you start to make this recipe, measure and prepare your ingredients so the cooking process will go smoothly and easily.
Full measurements are in the recipe card below.
Butter- use unsalted butter for this recipe. Only butter will work for this recipe, no margarine, and no coconut oil. Margarine has a weird taste and can ruin the flavor of these delicious cookies.
Powder sugar- is known as confectioner sugar. You don’t have to buy powdered sugar, you can simply make it at home by blending granulated sugar in a blender or food processor.
Flour– we used all-purpose flour for this recipe. cake flour will work great as well.
Kosher salt- you will need about ½ teaspoon of kosher salt for this recipe.
Milk- use your favorite type of milk for this. I used whole milk but you can use plant-based milk as well.
Vanilla extract- adds extra flavor. You can use regular vanilla extract for this or use vanilla bean extract for a stronger vanilla flavor.
Toppings
Dark chocolate- use the best quality dark chocolate or semisweet chocolate for the best flavor. We chop the chocolate bars into chunks but you can use store-bought chocolate chunks as well!
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 180c (350f) and prepare a baking sheet with parchment paper.
In a medium mixing bowl, add the softened butter, vanilla extract, kosher salt, and powdered sugar. Mix with an electric hand mixer until well combined and creamy.
Add the flour, and mix until a dough forms. Do not overmix it. Add the milk to loosen up the mixture to make it pipeable. It should be thick but you will be able to pipe it.
Transfer the mixture to a piping bag with a large open star piping tip and pipe the cookies into 2-inch circles on a parchment paper lined baking sheet.
If you don’t have a piping tip, you can make these with your favorite cookie press.
Transfer the baking sheet to the fridge and store it for 20-30 minutes to prevent them from spreading in the oven.
Bake the cookies in a 180c (350f) preheated oven for about 12 minutes or until the cookies are set and the edges of the cookies are lightly golden brown.
Let the cookies cool for 5 minutes, and then transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely.
Dip the cookies in melted chocolate and sprinkle them with festive sprinkles if desired. Allow the chocolate to set in the fridge, serve, and enjoy.
Expert Tips
- Don’t overmix the batter, you don’t want to develop the gluten in the flour. This step ensures you have moist cookies and not dense and dry cookies.
- Make sure that your butter is at room temperature. An hour or two before making these cookies, take the butter out of the fridge and let it come to room temperature. The butter should be soft to the touch. If your butter is too cold, it will be harder to mix and there will be lumps of butter in the dough.
- Before baking, place the cookies in the baking pan in the fridge for at least 20 to 30 minutes to prevent them from spreading and to help them keep their shape.
- Make these your own! Dip these cookies in your favorite melted chocolate like white chocolate, dark chocolate, milk chocolate, and top these with your favorite toppings like chopped nuts, shredded coconut, sprinkles, etc.
- Use a star piping tip for the best looking danish cookies! Transfer the cookie dough mixture to a piping bag with a large star tip to create the most beautiful cookies!
- Measure your flour correctly! When measuring your flour, avoid scooping it with a measuring cup. Instead, stir the flour with a spoon to create as many air pockets as possible, and spoon it into your measuring cup. Finally, level it with a back of a knife.
- Line your sheet pan with parchment paper or a silicone mat! This step helps the cookies to bake evenly, and it makes sure that your cookies release easily from the pan.
Faq's
We used regular unsalted butter for this recipe. If you want to use salted butter in this recipe, simply skip the salt and make the recipe as written.
We use all-purpose flour for this recipe, and cake flour will work great as well.
Yes! You can double or triple this recipe. There is an option to automatically double, half, or triple this recipe in the recipe card below!
Danish Butter Cookies are typically lighter and crumbly in texture, with a rich buttery flavor. They often come in a variety of shapes and are known for their delicate crispness.
On the other hand, shortbread is denser and has a more pronounced buttery taste. It has a crumbly yet firm texture that melts in your mouth.
Storing
Store these cookies at room temperature for up to a week. Store these in an airtight container so they won't dry out.
Freezing
Freezing these cookies is very easy. Bake these cookies according to the instructions, allow them to cool, cover them with a plastic wrap tightly (a few layers) transfer them into an airtight freezer-friendly container, and freeze it for up to 2 months.
Thaw in the fridge overnight or at room temperature for about an hour.
Substitutions
Dairy-free - If you are dairy-free, replace the butter with vegan butter or plant-based butter.
Gluten-free - if you want to make this recipe gluten-free, simply replace the flour with gluten-free flour.
Variations
Chocolate- make these into chocolate butter cookies by swapping ¼ cup of flour with cocoa powder.
Candy- make these festive by sprinkling chopped candy canes on top of the chocolate.
Sprinkles- top these with your favorite kind of sprinkles. They can be holiday themed to make them festive!
Nuts- sprinkle chopped nuts on top of the melted chocolate for an extra crunch and a beautiful look.
Chocolate- you can use your favorite type of chocolate for dipping! This can be dark chocolate, milk chocolate, white chocolate, semisweet chocolate, etc.
Zest- add lemon or orange zest to the cookie dough for a delicious flavor and aroma.
Extract- swap the vanilla extract with your favorite extracts like almond extract, peppermint extract, or lemon extract!
Cinnamon sugar- before baking these cookies, sprinkle them in cinnamon sugar for a delicious twist.
Danish Butter Cookies Uses
- Cheesecake crust- make your homemade cheesecake more delicious by crushing the cookies in a blender or a food processor and using them to create the most flavorful and delicious made-from-scratch crust.
Equipment
- Baking sheet and rack set (our fave)
- Whisk Set (pack of 3) to whisk the ingredients together
- Electric hand mixer
- Rubber spatula
- Large star piping tip
- Pastry bag
More buttery cookies recipes
Homemade vanilla wafers- These homemade vanilla wafers are rich and buttery and can be enjoyed on their own or used as a versatile ingredient in various desserts like banana pudding.
Homemade Milano cookies- These Milano cookies are made with buttery and tender vanilla cookies and filled with a silky smooth chocolate ganache.
Chocolate dipped shortbread cookies- These chocolate dipped shortbread cookies are crispy, melt in your mouth deliciously, and are dipped in your favorite chocolate! These cookies are made with only 5 ingredients!
If you tried this recipe, don’t forget to leave a rating and a comment below. We love hearing from you.
If you liked this recipe
📖 Recipe
Danish Butter Cookies
Ingredients
- 1 cup Butter softened, unsalted
- ¾ cup Powdered sugar
- ½ teaspoon Kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon Vanilla extract
- 2 cups Flour
- 2 teaspoon Milk
Assembly
- 3.5 oz Dark chocolate melted with 1 tablespoon of coconut oil
- 2 tablespoon Sprinkles
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 180c (350f) and prepare a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- In a medium mixing bowl, add the softened butter, vanilla extract, kosher salt, and powdered sugar. Mix with an electric hand mixer until well combined and creamy.
- Add the flour, and mix until a dough forms. Do not overmix it. Add the milk to loosen up the mixture to make it pipeable. It should be thick but you will be able to pipe it.
- Transfer the mixture to a piping bag with a large open star piping tip and pipe the cookies into 2-inch circles on a parchment paper lined baking sheet.
- If you don’t have a piping tip, you can make these with your favorite cookie press.
- Transfer the baking sheet to the fridge and store it for 20-30 minutes to prevent them from spreading in the oven.
- Bake the cookies in a 180c (350f) preheated oven for about 12 minutes or until the cookies are set and the edges of the cookies are lightly golden brown.
- Let the cookies cool for 5 minutes, and then transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Dip the cookies in melted chocolate and sprinkle them with festive sprinkles if desired. Allow the chocolate to set in the fridge, serve, and enjoy.
Notes
- Don’t overmix the batter, you don’t want to develop the gluten in the flour. This step ensures you have moist cookies and not dense and dry cookies.
- Make sure that your butter is at room temperature. An hour or two before making these cookies, take the butter out of the fridge and let it come to room temperature. The butter should be soft to the touch. If your butter is too cold, it will be harder to mix and there will be lumps of butter in the dough.
- Before baking, place the cookies in the baking pan in the fridge for at least 20 to 30 minutes to prevent them from spreading and to help them keep their shape.
- Make these your own! Dip these cookies in your favorite melted chocolate like white chocolate, dark chocolate, milk chocolate, and top these with your favorite toppings like chopped nuts, shredded coconut, sprinkles, etc.
- Use a star piping tip for the best looking danish cookies! Transfer the cookie dough mixture to a piping bag with a large star tip to create the most beautiful cookies!
- Measure your flour correctly! When measuring your flour, avoid scooping it with a measuring cup. Instead, stir the flour with a spoon to create as many air pockets as possible, and spoon it into your measuring cup. Finally, level it with a back of a knife.
- Line your sheet pan with parchment paper or a silicone mat! This step helps the cookies to bake evenly, and it makes sure that your cookies release easily from the pan.
Jacci
I am assuming confectioners sugar is what is required. Or is it confessioners sugar.... the one you don't have to apologise for if you eat it?
RichandDelish
Haha, sorry, it's definitely a typo. Confectioners sugar it is.