Description

These 3-Ingredient Butter Cookies are irresistibly buttery, delicate, and wonderfully melt-in-your-mouth. Made with just three simple pantry staples—unsalted butter, powdered sugar, and all-purpose flour—these classic homemade shortbread-style cookies feature tender, crumbly centers, beautifully pale tops, and lightly golden edges. With optional pure vanilla extract, a pinch of sea salt, or a sparkling sugar coating, these easy eggless butter cookies can be shaped into elegant cut-out cookies or convenient slice-and-bake rounds. Perfect for Christmas cookie trays, holiday baking, homemade gifts, afternoon tea, or enjoying with a warm cup of coffee, these simple buttery treats are sure to become a favorite!

Ingrédients

Scale

For the Butter Cookie Dough:
1 cup (230 g) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature (approximately 65°F–68°F / 18°C–20°C)
2/3 cup (85 g) powdered sugar, sifted
2 cups (250 g) all-purpose flour
Optional Additions:
1 tsp pure vanilla extract (to taste)
1/4 tsp fine sea salt
Granulated sugar, for rolling or dusting (optional)

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Instructions

Cream Softened Butter and Powdered Sugar: In a large mixing bowl or stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine 1 cup (230 g) of softened unsalted butter and 2/3 cup (85 g) of sifted powdered sugar. Beat on medium speed for 2–3 minutes until the mixture becomes smooth, light, fluffy, and creamy. The butter should be softened to approximately 65°F–68°F (18°C–20°C), but not melted.
Add Optional Flavoring: If desired, add 1 teaspoon of pure vanilla extract and 1/4 teaspoon of fine sea salt to the creamed butter mixture. Mix briefly on low speed until the optional flavorings are evenly incorporated and the mixture is smooth.
Incorporate All-Purpose Flour: Gradually add 2 cups (250 g) of all-purpose flour to the creamed butter and powdered sugar mixture. Mix gently on low speed just until the flour is incorporated and a soft, smooth butter cookie dough forms. Avoid overmixing to maintain a delicate, tender, melt-in-your-mouth shortbread texture.
Check Dough Consistency: Check that the cookie dough is soft, cohesive, and able to hold its shape without feeling excessively sticky. If the dough feels too soft or difficult to handle, cover it and refrigerate until it becomes firm enough for shaping. Avoid adding unnecessary extra flour, which could make the cookies dry or crumbly.
Shape and Chill Cookie Dough: Choose your preferred shaping method. Method 1 — Cut-Out Cookies: Gently flatten the dough into a disc, wrap tightly in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for 1 hour. Roll the chilled dough to approximately 1/4-inch thickness on a lightly floured surface, then cut into your desired shapes using cookie cutters. Method 2 — Slice-and-Bake Cookies: Roll the dough into a compact, evenly shaped log, wrap tightly in plastic wrap, and freeze for 30 minutes until firm. Using a sharp knife, slice the chilled log into approximately 1/4-inch-thick rounds.
Arrange Cookies and Add Optional Sugar Coating: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. Arrange the shaped butter cookies approximately 1 inch apart on the prepared baking sheet. If desired, sprinkle the tops with granulated sugar or lightly roll the cookies in sugar for an extra-sweet, sparkling finish. If the dough has softened during shaping, refrigerate the arranged cookies for an additional 15–20 minutes before baking to help maintain their shape.
Bake Until Lightly Golden: Place the baking sheet in the preheated oven and bake at 350°F (175°C) for 12–15 minutes, or until the edges and bottoms are lightly golden while the centers remain pale and slightly soft. Avoid overbaking to preserve the cookies’ wonderfully delicate, buttery texture.
Cool Completely and Serve: Remove the baking sheet from the oven and allow the butter cookies to rest on the warm pan for 5–10 minutes. These delicate, eggless cookies are fragile while hot and need time to firm up before handling. Carefully transfer them to a wire cooling rack and allow them to cool completely. Enjoy their tender, crumbly, melt-in-your-mouth texture with a warm cup of tea or coffee!

Notes

Use Softened, Not Melted, Butter: For the best results, use butter softened to approximately 65°F–68°F (18°C–20°C). It should yield gently to pressure while still holding its shape. Melted butter can cause the dough to become greasy and the cookies to spread excessively during baking.
Avoid Overmixing the Dough: Once the flour is added, mix only until a soft dough forms. Overmixing develops gluten and can make the finished butter cookies tough instead of tender and crumbly.
Choose Your Favorite Shaping Method: For decorative cut-out cookies, chill the dough for 1 hour before rolling and cutting. For perfectly round slice-and-bake cookies, freeze the dough log for 30 minutes before slicing into 1/4-inch rounds.
Chill Soft Dough Before Baking: If the cookies become too soft while shaping, refrigerate them on the baking sheet for an additional 15–20 minutes before baking. This helps prevent excessive spreading and preserves their beautiful shapes.
Allow Cookies to Firm Up Before Moving: These eggless butter cookies have a delicate shortbread crumb and can break apart while hot. Rest them on the warm baking sheet for 5–10 minutes before transferring to a wire cooling rack to cool completely.

Temps de préparation: 15 minutes
Temps de cuisson: 15 minutes
Catégorie: Dessert
Méthode: Baking
Cuisine: American

Nutrition

Portion: 1 cookie
Calories: 145
Sucre: 4g
Sodium: 3mg
Graisse: 8g
Graisse saturée: 5g
Graisses insaturées: 2g
Gras trans: 0g
Glucides: 15g
Fibres: 0g
Protéine: 1g
Cholestérol: 22mg