Holiday Butter Cookies
Celebrate the season with these delightfully simple and buttery Holiday Butter Cookies! With a rich, melt-in-your-mouth texture and a touch of vanilla, these classic cookies are perfect for adorning your festive dessert table or gifting to loved ones. The versatile dough comes together quickly with pantry staples like unsalted butter, sugar, and all-purpose flour, and can be rolled out and shaped into your favorite holiday designs. Add a sprinkle of colored sugar or festive sprinkles for an extra dash of cheer! Ready in under an hour (including chilling time), these cookies bake to golden perfection in just 12 minutes. Whether you’re a seasoned baker or a beginner, this easy recipe will bring homemade warmth and sweetness to your holidays.
Log this recipe in SnapCalorie
Recipe Information
Ingredients
- 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 0.75 cup granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 unit large egg yolk
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 0.25 teaspoon salt
- decorative sprinkles or colored sugar (optional)
Instructions
In a large mixing bowl, beat the softened butter and granulated sugar together using a hand or stand mixer until light and fluffy, about 2-3 minutes.
Add the vanilla extract and egg yolk to the butter mixture. Beat until well combined.
In a separate medium bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour and salt.
Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, mixing until a soft, pliable dough forms. Be careful not to overmix.
Divide the dough in half, shape each portion into a disk, wrap in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes or until firm.
Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
On a lightly floured surface, roll out one portion of dough to about 1/4-inch thickness. Use holiday-themed cookie cutters to cut out shapes, and place the cookies onto the prepared baking sheets, leaving about 1/2 inch of space between them.
If decorating, sprinkle the cookies with decorative sprinkles or colored sugar before baking.
Bake in the preheated oven for 10-12 minutes, or until the edges are lightly golden. Rotate the baking sheets halfway through baking for even color.
Allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.
Repeat with the remaining dough, gathering and re-rolling scraps as needed.
Store the cooled cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to a week, or freeze for longer storage.
Nutrition Facts
Calories |
3244 | ||
|---|---|---|---|
% Daily Value* |
|||
| Total Fat | 198.9 g | 255% | |
| Saturated Fat | 123.5 g | 618% | |
| Polyunsaturated Fat | 0.0 g | ||
| Cholesterol | 701 mg | 234% | |
| Sodium | 636 mg | 28% | |
| Total Carbohydrate | 340.0 g | 124% | |
| Dietary Fiber | 6.5 g | 23% | |
| Total Sugars | 156.8 g | ||
| Protein | 29.5 g | 59% | |
| Vitamin D | 0.5 mcg | 2% | |
| Calcium | 106 mg | 8% | |
| Iron | 11.8 mg | 66% | |
| Potassium | 344 mg | 7% | |
*The % Daily Value tells you how much a nutrient in a serving of food contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
