Traditional German Butter Cookies (Butterplätzchen)
Learn how to make these traditional German butter cookies with only 5 staple ingredients. Enjoy them plain or decorated with your favorite icing for a delicious treat this Christmas season.
Servings: 36 cookies
Calories: 61kcal
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup butter softened
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 egg
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
Instructions
- In a large bowl, cream together the soft butter and sugar until light and fluffy, using a hand mixer or stand mixer.1/2 cup butter, 1/2 cup sugar
- Beat in the vanilla extract and the egg until well incorporated. Scrape down the sides of the bowl to ensure everything is mixed evenly.1 tsp vanilla extract, 1 egg
- Gradually add sifted all-purpose flour to the wet ingredients, mixing on low speed until a soft dough forms. Be careful not to overmix; stop as soon as the dough comes together.2 cups all-purpose flour
- For easier handling, chill the plain dough in two portions wrapped in clingfilm in the refrigerator for about 30 minutes. Shape the dough into discs to be able to roll it out easily once chilled.
- Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.
- Take one portion of the chilled dough and roll it out on a floured surface to about 1/4-inch thickness. Use cookie cutters to cut out different shapes. Place the cut-out cookies onto the prepared baking tray, leaving some space between each.
- Bake the shaped cookies in the preheated oven for 8-10 minutes on the middle rack, or until the edges are lightly golden. Keep a close eye on them to prevent overbaking and adjust the cooking time based on your oven.
- Allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheets for 5 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Once the cookies are completely cooled, you can decorate them with icing, sprinkles, or colored sugar to add a festive touch.
- Store the shaped butter cookies in an airtight container at room temperature. They can be stored for several days.
Video
Notes
Don't over-mix: Once the dough forms stop mixing to prevent over-mixing and the dough not staying together properly.
Even if you're in a rush, it's important to chill the dough for easy handling. You will have much more success if you chill the dough for at least 30 minutes.
Double batch and freeze half of the dough for fresh butter cookies later on in the Christmas season.
Storage: Store the baked cookies in an air-tight container or cookie tin at room temperature. These cookies can last up to 2 weeks in a cool and dark container. You can freeze this dough to use later. Before freezing, form the dough into a disc shape. Wrap in plastic wrap and freeze for up to two months. Thaw in the refrigerator before shaping.
Nutrition
Calories: 61kcal | Carbohydrates: 8g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 3g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 11mg | Sodium: 22mg | Potassium: 10mg | Fiber: 0.2g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 86IU | Calcium: 3mg | Iron: 0.3mg
