Description
Scandinavian butter cookies blend rich Danish baking traditions with simple, elegant ingredients. Crisp, buttery rounds promise sweet moments of comfort and nostalgia you can savor with afternoon tea or morning coffee.
Ingredients
Scale
- 2 cups (250 g / 8.8 oz) all-purpose flour
- 1 cup (230 g / 8 oz) unsalted butter, softened
- 1 cup (120 g / 4.2 oz) powdered sugar
- 2 tsps vanilla extract
- ¼ tsp salt
Instructions
- Preheat Preparation: Warm the oven to 350F (175C) and line two baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone mats.
- Butter Fusion: Whip softened butter and powdered sugar in a mixing bowl until light and fluffy, creating a cloud-like texture through 2-3 minutes of vigorous blending.
- Flavor Incorporation: Blend vanilla extract thoroughly into the butter mixture, ensuring an even distribution of aromatic essence.
- Dough Formation: Fold flour and salt into the creamy base on low speed, gently combining until a uniform dough develops without overworking the delicate mixture.
- Cookie Shaping: Craft uniform cookies by either rolling 1-inch spheres by hand or piping with a star-tipped nozzle, strategically placing them on prepared baking sheets with ample spacing.
- Baking Transformation: Bake in the preheated oven for 10-12 minutes, watching for subtle golden edges while maintaining the cookies’ characteristic pale appearance.
- Cooling Process: Rest cookies on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to a cooling rack to complete their final set and reach perfect texture.
Notes
- Butter Softening Technique: Ensure butter is at room temperature, soft but not melted, for optimal creaming and texture. Use the palm of your hand to gently press the butter – it should yield easily without breaking apart.
- Minimal Mixing Mastery: Avoid overworking the dough to prevent tough cookies. Stop mixing immediately after flour incorporates, as excessive blending develops gluten and creates dense, chewy results instead of the desired melt-in-your-mouth texture.
- Precision Piping Strategy: When using a piping bag, choose a sturdy star-tipped nozzle for elegant, professional-looking edges. Maintain consistent pressure and size for uniform cookies that bake evenly and look picture-perfect.
- Temperature Control Wisdom: Watch cookies closely during baking – golden edges signal doneness while maintaining a pale center. Remove from oven promptly to prevent overcooking, which can transform delicate butter cookies into crisp, potentially bitter treats.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 12 minutes
- Category: Desserts, Snacks
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 23
- Calories: 130
- Sugar: 5 g
- Sodium: 10 mg
- Fat: 9 g
- Saturated Fat: 5 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 4 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 14 g
- Fiber: 0 g
- Protein: 1 g
- Cholesterol: 30 mg