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Classic Melt-in-Your-Mouth Butter Cookies

A stack of golden, round butter cookie treats generously topped with coarse sugar crystals.
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Make rich, buttery cookies that melt in your mouth using simple pantry ingredients. This easy butter cookies recipe is perfect for holiday baking or any time you want a classic treat.

Ingredients

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  • 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
  • 3/4 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 large egg yolk
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt

Instructions

  1. In a large bowl, cream together the softened butter and granulated sugar until the mixture is light and fluffy. You can use a stand mixer or a hand mixer for this step.
  2. Beat in the egg yolk and vanilla extract until just combined. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed.
  3. In a separate medium bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour and salt.
  4. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, mixing on low speed until a soft dough forms. Do not overmix the dough.
  5. Divide the dough in half. Wrap each half tightly in plastic wrap and flatten slightly into a disk. Chill the dough in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour, or until firm enough to roll or shape.
  6. Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line baking sheets with parchment paper.
  7. On a lightly floured surface, roll out one portion of the chilled dough to about 1/4-inch thickness. Cut the dough into desired shapes using cookie cutters. Alternatively, you can press the dough into a cookie press for classic shapes.
  8. Place the cut-out cookies onto the prepared baking sheets, spacing them about 1 inch apart.
  9. Bake for 9 to 12 minutes, or until the edges are lightly golden brown. The centers should still look pale.
  10. Let the cookies cool on the baking sheets for 5 minutes before carefully transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.
  11. Store your homemade butter cookies in an airtight container at room temperature.

Notes

  • For a richer flavor, use high-quality butter; this recipe relies on butter for its primary taste.
  • If you want soft baked butter cookies, slightly underbake them by about one minute.
  • Chilling the dough is essential; cold dough prevents the cookies from spreading too much while baking.
  • These cookies are excellent for gifting, especially during Christmas cookie baking season.

Nutrition

Find it online: https://tastethisplate.com/butter-cookie-classic-melt-in-your-mouth-recipe/