Description
Danish butter cookies offer a delightful journey through Nordic holiday traditions, embodying festive cheer in each delicate bite. Crisp edges and rich buttery flavor invite home bakers to celebrate Christmas with simple, elegant sweetness.
Ingredients
Scale
- 3 cups (720 ml) all-purpose flour
- 1 ½ cups (360 ml) granulated sugar
- 1 cup (240 ml) unsalted butter, softened
- ¾ cup (180 ml) unsalted butter, softened (for frosting)
- 3 cups (720 ml) powdered sugar
- 23 tablespoons (359 ml) heavy cream
- 1 large egg
- ½ cup (120 ml) sour cream
- 2 teaspoons (10 ml) vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon (5 ml) vanilla extract (for frosting)
- ½ teaspoon (2.5 ml) baking powder
- ½ teaspoon (2.5 ml) baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon (1.25 ml) salt
- Food coloring (red, green, or any preferred colors)
- Holiday sprinkles
Instructions
- Mixing Base: Whip softened butter and sugar until creamy and light. Blend in egg, vanilla extract, and sour cream until mixture achieves smooth, consistent texture.
- Dry Ingredient Integration: Sift flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt together. Gently fold dry ingredients into wet mixture, stirring carefully to maintain delicate consistency and prevent overmixing.
- Shaping and Preparation: Scoop uniform dough portions onto parchment-lined baking sheets. Softly flatten each cookie using bottom of a glass, creating gentle circular impressions. Ensure consistent spacing between cookies.
- Baking Process: Slide trays into oven preheated to 350°F. Bake for 10-12 minutes, watching for subtle golden edges indicating perfect doneness. Remove from oven and briefly rest on baking sheet before transferring to cooling rack.
- Frosting Finale: Whip butter until exceptionally fluffy. Gradually incorporate powdered sugar and cream, creating silky smooth frosting. Add vanilla extract and optional food coloring for festive appearance. Once cookies are completely cooled, spread frosting evenly and decorate with sprinkles.
Notes
- Butter Temperature Matters: Use room temperature butter for smoother mixing and better cookie texture, ensuring it’s soft but not melted.
- Gentle Mixing Technique: Avoid overmixing the dough to prevent tough cookies; fold ingredients just until combined to maintain a tender crumb.
- Uniform Cookie Size: Use a cookie scoop for consistent sizing, which helps ensure even baking and professional-looking results.
- Cooling is Crucial: Let cookies cool completely before frosting to prevent melting and maintain the frosting’s perfect consistency.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Category: Desserts, Snacks
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 25
- Calories: 210
- Sugar: 15 g
- Sodium: 80 mg
- Fat: 10 g
- Saturated Fat: 6 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 4 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 30 g
- Fiber: 0 g
- Protein: 2 g
- Cholesterol: 30 mg