Soft Butter Cookies Recipe

I lean on pantry staples like unsalted butter, granulated sugar, an egg plus yolk, vanilla, flour and cornstarch, with an optional cocoa swirl for a classic two tone design. In my Soft Butter Cookies Recipe I show how straightforward ingredients produce an impressive, elegant cookie that is easy to make at home.

Jump to Recipe

When I want a cookie that’ll melt in your mouth but still look like I actually did something impressive, I make these Soft Butter Cookies Recipe. I mix softened unsalted butter with granulated sugar and a little powdered sugar, then add one large egg plus an extra yolk and plenty of vanilla extract.

The dough gets its tender texture from all purpose flour and cornstarch, with a touch of baking powder and fine salt to keep it light. For the pretty swirl I fold in sifted unsweetened cocoa powder, or leave it plain if I’m feeling lazy.

They pipe into delicate swirls that people swear are Danish Butter Cookies, and honestly they taste even better. Perfect for Christmas Baking or just when you want one of those Easy Cookie Recipes that makes everyone say wow, these are so yummy.

I promise they look fancy but theyre ridiculously simple, and youll want to make them again.

Why I Like this Recipe

I like this recipe because:
1. I love how melt-in-your-mouth they are, they practically disappear the second I bite one.
2. I like that the swirl looks fancy but is actually super easy so I can impress people without stressing out.
3. I appreciate the tips that stop them from getting tough, like not overmixing and spooning and leveling the flour.
4. I like that the dough is forgiving, you can chill it or add a little milk to get the piping just right.

Ingredients

Print Recipe (No Advertisments)

Unsalted butter adds rich fat and flavor, mainly saturated fat and a tiny bit protein.
Granulated sugar is pure carbs, sweetens cookies and gives crisp edges.
Powdered sugar gives softness and fine texture, adds sweetness with no grain.
Egg and extra yolk add protein and moisture, helps structure and chew.
Vanilla brings aroma and depth, no calories worth noting just flavor.
Flour provides carbs and gluten for structure, spooned measured for light crumbs.
Cornstarch softens crumbs and makes tender cookies, mostly starch not fiber.
Cocoa adds chocolate bitterness and color, has small antioxidants but is bitter.

Ingredient Quantities

- 1 cup (226 g) unsalted butter, softened

- 3/4 cup (150 g) granulated sugar

- 1/2 cup (60 g) powdered sugar

- 1 large egg plus 1 large egg yolk, room temp

- 1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract, more if you like

- 2 1/4 cups (280 g) all purpose flour, spooned and leveled

- 1/4 cup (30 g) cornstarch

- 1 tsp baking powder

- 1/2 tsp fine salt

- 2 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder, sifted, for chocolate swirl (optional)

- 1 to 2 tbsp milk or heavy cream, only if needed to soften dough for piping (optional)

How to Make this

Print Recipe (No Advertisments)

1. Preheat oven to 325°F (160°C) and line baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone mats; make sure butter and eggs are room temp so they mix easy.

2. In a large bowl beat 1 cup (226 g) softened unsalted butter with 3/4 cup (150 g) granulated sugar and 1/2 cup (60 g) powdered sugar until light and fluffy, about 2 to 3 minutes; scrape the bowl once or twice.

3. Add 1 large egg + 1 large egg yolk and 1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract, mix until combined but don’t overbeat, you just want it smooth.

4. Whisk together 2 1/4 cups (280 g) all purpose flour, 1/4 cup (30 g) cornstarch, 1 tsp baking powder and 1/2 tsp fine salt in a separate bowl. Spoon and level the flour when measuring.

5. Add the dry mixture to the butter mixture in two additions, mixing on low until just combined; overmixing makes cookies tough so stop as soon as no streaks of flour remain.

6. If making the swirl: divide dough in half. To one half fold in 2 tbsp sifted unsweetened cocoa powder until uniform. Taste the cocoa; sifted keeps lumps out, trust me.

7. Fit a large piping bag with a wide star or round tip, or use two bags side by side in a coupler for a cleaner swirl; put one color in each side so they pipe together. If dough is too stiff for piping add 1 to 2 tbsp milk or heavy cream total, 1 tbsp at a time, until pipeable but still holds shape.

8. Pipe cookies about 1 1/2 inch across onto prepared sheets, spacing about 1 1/2 inches apart. If dough is too soft to hold shape chill trays 10 to 20 minutes in fridge, but don’t freeze unless you plan to bake later.

9. Bake 10 to 12 minutes at 325°F until edges just start to set and bottoms are lightly golden, they will look a bit pale on top; do not overbake or they lose that melt-in-your-mouth texture.

10. Let cookies cool on the sheet 4 to 5 minutes then transfer to a wire rack to finish cooling; store airtight for 3 to 4 days or freeze for longer. Quick tips: spoon and level flour, sift cocoa, room temp eggs, don’t overmix, and if your butter was too warm pop the dough in the fridge 10 minutes so piping holds.

Equipment Needed

1. Oven (set to 325°F / 160°C)
2. 2 baking sheets (more if you plan batches)
3. Parchment paper or silicone baking mats
4. Large mixing bowl
5. Medium mixing bowl (for dry ingredients)
6. Electric mixer (stand or hand) or sturdy whisk for creaming butter and sugars
7. Whisk (for flour, cornstarch, baking powder and salt)
8. Rubber or silicone spatula for scraping the bowl
9. Measuring cups and spoons (including 1 cup, 1/4 cup, tbsp, tsp)
10. Digital kitchen scale (recommended for gram measurements)
11. Sifter or fine mesh sieve (for cocoa and powdered sugar)
12. Large piping bag plus wide star or round tip; coupler or two bags side by side if doing the swirl
13. Small spoon or cookie scoop (optional, if not piping)
14. Bench scraper or knife (to divide dough)
15. Wire cooling rack
16. Refrigerator (for chilling trays 10 to 20 minutes)

FAQ

What oven temp and bake time should I use?

Bake at 325 to 350 F for about 9 to 12 minutes depending on cookie size. You want the edges just set but centers still look a tiny bit soft. They’ll firm up as they cool, so dont overbake.

How do I make these cookies really soft and tender?

Use room temp butter, dont overmix after adding flour, and watch the bake time. Cornstarch in the dough helps keep them tender. Also cooling on the sheet for 2 to 3 minutes then transfer to a rack keeps them soft inside.

Dough too stiff for piping, what can I do?

Stir in 1 to 2 tablespoons milk or heavy cream, 1 tbsp at a time, until it holds a smooth ribbon for piping. Or chill briefly and use a scoop for drop cookies if you dont want to pipe.

How do I make the chocolate swirl without messing the texture?

Reserve about a third of the dough, mix in the sifted 2 tbsp cocoa until even. Fill two bags, pipe alternating strips into the pan or press small scoops side by side and swirl gently with a toothpick. Dont overmix or the streaks will blend too much.

Can I prep ahead or freeze these cookies or dough?

Yes. Dough logs wrapped in plastic freeze well for up to 3 months, slice and bake from frozen adding a minute or two. Baked cookies freeze up to 2 months. Thaw at room temp, or warm a few seconds in microwave to refresh softness.

Any quick swaps for allergies or pantry limits?

For gluten free try a 1:1 gluten free flour blend with xanthan gum, results vary. For egg-free, commercial egg replacer or 3 tbsp aquafaba per egg can work but texture will be slightly different. Weigh your flour instead of scooping for best results.

Soft Butter Cookies Recipe Substitutions and Variations

Unsalted butter
- Salted butter, same weight. Skip or cut back the added salt by ~1/4 tsp.
- European style butter (higher fat) same weight for a richer, softer cookie.
- Solid coconut oil 1:1, room temp. Gives a hint of coconut and a slightly crumblier bite.
Granulated sugar
- Light brown sugar 1:1 for more chew and caramel notes, cookies will be a bit darker.
- Caster (superfine) sugar same weight if you want an extra tender crumb.
- Coconut sugar 1:1 for a less-refined option, expect deeper color and flavor.
All purpose flour
- 1-to-1 gluten free all purpose blend (with xanthan gum) same weight, follow the blend’s notes.
- Swap up to 25% with cake flour, or use cake flour to replace AP for a softer, more delicate cookie.
1 large egg plus 1 large yolk
- Use 2 large eggs if you don’t have an extra yolk, cookies will be slightly cakier but fine.
- Vegan option: about 4 1/2 tablespoons aquafaba (chickpea liquid) to mimic the binding, texture will differ.
Cornstarch
- Arrowroot powder 1:1, keeps cookies tender and light.
- Tapioca or potato starch 1:1, both work well for that melt-in-your-mouth feel.

Small tip: weigh ingredients when you can, it’ll make these swaps more reliable.

Pro Tips

1) Get your butter and eggs truly room temp and cream until light and fluffy, about 2 to 3 minutes, scraping the bowl once or twice. If your butter ends up too soft, pop the mixed dough on the tray into the fridge for 10 minutes so it pipes cleanly; if it feels rock hard let it sit a bit longer before piping so you dont tear your bag.

2) Weigh the flour if you can, otherwise spoon and level. Overmeasuring flour or overmixing are the biggest mistakes here, so add the dry mix in two batches on low speed and stop as soon as the last streaks of flour disappear. That cornstarch is doing the tender, melt-in-your-mouth work, so dont skimp.

3) For a neat chocolate swirl, sift the cocoa into half the dough so no lumps wreck the piping. Use two bags side by side in one coupler or a big pastry bag with two colors stuffed in; pick a wide star or round tip. If the dough wont come out smoothly add 1 tablespoon of milk or cream at a time until it pipes but still holds shape.

4) Bake with care: use parchment or silicone, space cookies well and, if your oven runs hot, bake one tray at a time on the middle rack so bottoms dont brown too fast. Pull them when the edges just set and bottoms are lightly golden, cool on the sheet 4 to 5 minutes then move to a rack. Store airtight for a few days or freeze for longer.

Recipe by Tina Bueller

0.0 from 0 votes

Servings

servings

Calories

103

kcal

Equipment: 1. Oven (set to 325°F / 160°C)
2. 2 baking sheets (more if you plan batches)
3. Parchment paper or silicone baking mats
4. Large mixing bowl
5. Medium mixing bowl (for dry ingredients)
6. Electric mixer (stand or hand) or sturdy whisk for creaming butter and sugars
7. Whisk (for flour, cornstarch, baking powder and salt)
8. Rubber or silicone spatula for scraping the bowl
9. Measuring cups and spoons (including 1 cup, 1/4 cup, tbsp, tsp)
10. Digital kitchen scale (recommended for gram measurements)
11. Sifter or fine mesh sieve (for cocoa and powdered sugar)
12. Large piping bag plus wide star or round tip; coupler or two bags side by side if doing the swirl
13. Small spoon or cookie scoop (optional, if not piping)
14. Bench scraper or knife (to divide dough)
15. Wire cooling rack
16. Refrigerator (for chilling trays 10 to 20 minutes)

Ingredients

1 cup (226 g) unsalted butter, softened
3/4 cup (150 g) granulated sugar
1/2 cup (60 g) powdered sugar
1 large egg plus 1 large egg yolk, room temp
1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract, more if you like
2 1/4 cups (280 g) all purpose flour, spooned and leveled
1/4 cup (30 g) cornstarch
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp fine salt
2 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder, sifted, for chocolate swirl (optional)
1 to 2 tbsp milk or heavy cream, only if needed to soften dough for piping (optional)

Directions

Preheat oven to 325°F (160°C) and line baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone mats; make sure butter and eggs are room temp so they mix easy.
In a large bowl beat 1 cup (226 g) softened unsalted butter with 3/4 cup (150 g) granulated sugar and 1/2 cup (60 g) powdered sugar until light and fluffy, about 2 to 3 minutes; scrape the bowl once or twice.
Add 1 large egg + 1 large egg yolk and 1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract, mix until combined but don’t overbeat, you just want it smooth.
Whisk together 2 1/4 cups (280 g) all purpose flour, 1/4 cup (30 g) cornstarch, 1 tsp baking powder and 1/2 tsp fine salt in a separate bowl. Spoon and level the flour when measuring.
Add the dry mixture to the butter mixture in two additions, mixing on low until just combined; overmixing makes cookies tough so stop as soon as no streaks of flour remain.
If making the swirl: divide dough in half. To one half fold in 2 tbsp sifted unsweetened cocoa powder until uniform. Taste the cocoa; sifted keeps lumps out, trust me.
Fit a large piping bag with a wide star or round tip, or use two bags side by side in a coupler for a cleaner swirl; put one color in each side so they pipe together. If dough is too stiff for piping add 1 to 2 tbsp milk or heavy cream total, 1 tbsp at a time, until pipeable but still holds shape.
Pipe cookies about 1 1/2 inch across onto prepared sheets, spacing about 1 1/2 inches apart. If dough is too soft to hold shape chill trays 10 to 20 minutes in fridge, but don’t freeze unless you plan to bake later.
Bake 10 to 12 minutes at 325°F until edges just start to set and bottoms are lightly golden, they will look a bit pale on top; do not overbake or they lose that melt-in-your-mouth texture.
Let cookies cool on the sheet 4 to 5 minutes then transfer to a wire rack to finish cooling; store airtight for 3 to 4 days or freeze for longer. Quick tips: spoon and level flour, sift cocoa, room temp eggs, don’t overmix, and if your butter was too warm pop the dough in the fridge 10 minutes so piping holds.

Notes

Below you’ll find my best estimate of this recipe’s nutrition facts. Treat the numbers as a guide rather than a rule—great food should nourish both body and spirit. Figures are approximate, and the website owner assumes no liability for any inaccuracies in this recipe.