These butter cookies are hands down the best I’ve ever had! They’re rich and buttery, with a delicate crumb and melt-in-your-mouth texture. Best of all, they’re easy to make with just a handful of kitchen staples. Perfect with a warm cup of tea or as part of a holiday spread!
What Makes This the Best Butter Cookie Recipe?
I know—it’s a bold claim! Now these butter cookies have everything you love about a classic cookie: delicate, buttery, with a melt-in-your-mouth texture. But what sets this recipe apart is a simple, yet game-changing ingredient— milk powder! Yes, you heard that right. Milk powder adds an incredible depth of flavor and extra creaminess, making these cookies truly unforgettable. It takes regular butter cookies from good to extraordinary!
My Top Tips for the Perfect Butter Cookies
Use Room Temperature Ingredients: Make sure your butter and egg yolks are at room temperature before mixing. This ensures a smoother dough that doesn’t curdle and better texture in the finished cookies.
Don’t Overwork the Cookie Dough: Overmixing the dough can lead to tough cookies. Once the ingredients are combined, stop mixing. This will keep the cookies light and delicate.
Chill the Dough: To prevent the piped cookies from spreading too much while baking and losing their piped shape, chill the dough for at least 30 minutes before baking.
Use the Right Piping Tip: When piping cookies, use a large tip like an Ateco 849 or 827 (large open star or closed star piping tips work well). Smaller tips can make piping more difficult and result in uneven shapes.
Monitor Oven Temperature: Oven temperatures can vary, so it’s important to bake at the right temperature and keep an eye on the cookies. Look for a light golden brown color to know when they’re done. If you like a richer, crispier cookie (like me!), bake for a bit longer until you have a deep golden brown color on the edges of the cookies.
Use a Scale: For best results, I recommend weighing out the ingredients using a scale. This will ensure you have the perfect batter consistency. If using measuring cups, be careful not to overmeasure the flour otherwise the dough will be too firm.
Looking for more holiday baking recipes? Check out my popular fruit cake recipe, red velvet cake recipe, cranberry bread and chocolate peppermint cake!
How to Make Butter Cookies
You can find the full list of ingredients for this butter cookie recipe in the recipe card at the end of the blog post (for easy navigation, hit the ‘jump to recipe’ button at the top of the blog post). Here is a quick visual breakdown of the recipe (recipe video is also provided in the recipe card below).
Preheat oven to 180 °C (350°F) conventional and line two large baking sheets with parchment paper (I used two 18×13 inch half-sheet baking trays). Set aside.
In a medium bowl combine flour and salt and mix until well combined (no need to sift). Set aside.
In a large bowl combine softened butter and sugar and using a hand or stand mixer on a medium speed (use the paddle attachment if using a stand mixer), cream for 3 minutes until light and fluffy. Do not over-cream.
Add in egg yolks, vanilla and milk powder and mix on a low speed until well combined. Scrape down the bowl as needed.
Add in premixed dry ingredients and mix on low-medium speed until just combined. Do not overmix.
Use a spatula to gently press down on the dough to release any air bubbles, then mix carefully until the dough is smooth. It should now be ready for piping. To test, transfer a small portion into a piping bag fitted with a large pastry tip, such as an Ateco 849 or 827 (avoid using a small tip, as the dough will be too difficult to pipe). If the dough feels too firm, add one teaspoon of room-temperature milk and gently fold it in with the spatula. Only add milk if needed.
When the dough is ready, transfer half of it into a large piping bag (working with half at a time makes piping more manageable). If your piping bag is thin, layer it with a second bag to prevent tearing while piping. Pipe the dough into small rosettes (like a tight swirl) onto the parchment-lined baking sheets. This recipe should yield approximately 40 cookies.
Place cookies into the fridge to chill for 30 minutes. They should feel hard when you touch them.
Bake one tray at a time on the middle rack of the oven for about 15 minutes, or until the cookies begin to develop a light golden brown color. The more browning, the richer the flavor and the crispier the exterior. Adjust the baking time to suit your preference.
Once baked, let the cookies cool on the tray for 30 minutes to firm up (no need to transfer to a wire rack). If coating with chocolate, melt the chocolate in 30-second intervals in the microwave, stirring between each interval, or melt it over a double boiler. Dip each cookie halfway into the melted chocolate, then place it back onto the parchment paper to set. If using sprinkles, add them to the chocolate before it sets. Enjoy!
How to Store Butter Cookies?
These butter cookies can be kept at room temperature in an airtight container for 2-3 weeks, although they’re best consumed within 1 week.
The Best Butter Cookie Recipe
Print Pin VideoIMPORTANT: For accuracy, I would recommend using the gram measurements provided, as those are the exact quantities I use. Cup measurements are given as estimates (based on US cup measurements) to make it easier for those who do not have a scale.
Ingredients
- 2⅛ cups (260 g) all-purpose flour - see note 1 if you don't have an ⅛ cup
- ½ tsp salt
- 1 cup (226 g) unsalted butter - softened, but not melted (see note 2)
- ½ cup (100 g) white granulated sugar
- 2 large egg yolks - room temperature
- 2 tsp vanilla extract/essence
- ¼ cup (33 g) milk powder - use whole milk powder for best taste
- 1 tsp whole milk (only use if needed) - Don't use it if you don't need too
For Decorating (Optional)
- 1 cup milk chocolate melts or chocolate chips - dark chocolate and white chocolate melts work too (see note 3).
- Nonpareil sprinkles
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 180 °C (350°F) conventional (see note 4 if using a convection oven) and line two large baking sheets with parchment paper (I used two 18x13 inch half-sheet baking trays). Set aside.
- Combine flour and salt and mix until well combined (no need to sift). Set aside.
- In a large bowl combine softened butter and sugar and using a hand or stand mixer on a medium speed (use the paddle attachment if using a stand mixer), cream for 3 minutes until light and fluffy. Do not over-cream.
- Add in egg yolks, vanilla and milk powder and mix on a low speed until well combined. Scrape down the bowl as needed.
- Add in premixed dry ingredients and mix on low-medium speed until just combined. Do not overmix.
- Use a spatula to gently press down on the dough to release any air bubbles, then mix carefully until the dough is smooth. It should now be ready for piping. To test, transfer a small portion into a piping bag fitted with a large pastry tip, such as an Ateco 849 or 827 (avoid using a small tip, as the dough will be too difficult to pipe). If the dough feels too firm, add 1 teaspoon of room-temperature milk and gently fold it in with the spatula. Only add milk if needed (see note 5).
- When the dough is ready, transfer half of it into a large piping bag (working with half at a time makes piping more manageable). If your piping bag is thin, layer it with a second bag to prevent tearing while piping. Pipe the dough into small rosettes onto the parchment-lined baking sheets. This recipe should yield approximately 40 cookies.
- Place cookies into the fridge to chill for 30 minutes (see note 6). They should feel hard when you touch them.
- Bake one tray at a time on the middle rack of the oven for about 15 minutes, or until the cookies begin to develop a light golden brown color. The more browning, the richer the flavor and the crispier the exterior. Adjust the baking time to suit your preference.
- Once baked, let the cookies cool on the tray for 30 minutes to firm up. If coating with chocolate, melt the chocolate in 30-second intervals in the microwave, stirring between each interval, or melt it over a double boiler. Dip each cookie halfway into the melted chocolate, then place it back onto the parchment paper to set. If using sprinkles, add them to the chocolate before it sets. The cookies develop the optimal texture a day after they're made (store in an airtight container at room temperature) although they can be enjoyed straight away too!
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Nutritional information are estimates only as they are automatically calculated by a third party application. Actual values may differ based on brands and types of products used.
20 Comments
Hi MK! I am going to try this but could I ask if the Nestle Everyday Instant Milk Powder would be good to use?
Hi,
Could you please make Chunky Cookies – both chocolate and vanilla flavour – you are the only one who I can trust and my ingredients doesn’t go to waste.
PLEASEEE ITS MY REQUEST
Hi Ilham! So glad you’re loving the recipes 😀 will keep these suggestions in mind for future recipes 🙂
I used coconut milk powder and they taste amazing!
So glad you loved the cookies Rosie! And wow have never heard of coconut milk powder before but it sounds delicious! I’ll have to try that sometime 😀
Hi , the butter cookies is very yummy
I will try rest of recipie and will bake again the butter cookie
Thanks for sharing
Thanks so much Shoba! 😀
MK, I made cookie boxes for friends and family this Christmas and these butter cookies were everyone’s absolute favorite!!
Thank you so much for all that you do.
— Marianne in Massachusetts (USA)
Aww yay! That makes me so so happy Marianne 😀 so glad to hear everyone loved the cookies 🙂
Much love from NZ to Massachusetts!
I just love the cookies. They smooth and melts in your mouth
Yay! So glad you loved them Hoedah 😀
Really appreciate the wonderful feedback 🙂
nice 👍🏻🙂 love it ❤️ thanks!
Thanks Lucy! Hope you enjoy the recipe 🙂
These biscuits are divine!
Thanks so much Saadiyah! So glad you loved the cookies 😀
MK, I made cookie boxes for friends and family this Christmas and these butter cookies were everyone’s absolute favorite!!
Thank you so much for all that you do.
— Marianne in Massachusetts (USA)
I don’t have regular milk powder. I only have buttermilk powder. Can I use that?
Thanks!
Hi Eileen! 🙂
I haven’t tried with buttermilk powder myself so I’m not too sure sorry! I haven’t tasted buttermilk powder and I worry that it may result in a slightly tangy/sour flavor in the cookies which may not be ideal.
So sorry I couldn’t be of more help!
I can not wait to bake these. My mouth is watering. Where I grew up there were many italian bakeries that sold this kind of cookie. Sadly I moved and there are few bakeries at all. Thank you for sharing and I will make soon.
Thank you so much for your lovely comment Carol! I’m so glad this recipe brings back memories of the Italian bakeries from your hometown. It’s always bittersweet when we move and can’t find those familiar favorites anymore!
Hope you enjoy the recipe 🙂