Ingredients:
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 185g (3/4 cup) butter, at room temperature
- Tip: Softened butter ensures a smooth, creamy dough. Take the butter out of the fridge about 30 minutes before starting.
- 1/4 cup milk
- 1 large egg
- 1½ cups icing sugar (also known as powdered sugar)
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract (or your favorite flavoring, like almond or lemon extract)
Instructions:
1. Prepare the Dry Ingredients
- In a large mixing bowl, sift together the flour and salt. Mix to combine, then set aside.
- Tip: Sifting helps create lighter cookies by breaking up any lumps in the flour and incorporating a bit of air.
2. Cream the Butter and Sugar
- In a separate bowl, beat the butter and icing sugar with a hand mixer or stand mixer until pale, light, and creamy—about 3-4 minutes. This helps achieve a tender, melt-in-your-mouth texture.
- Tip: Make sure to scrape down the sides of the bowl periodically to ensure even mixing.
3. Add the Egg
- Add the egg to the creamed butter mixture and beat for about 3 minutes until the mixture is well combined and smooth.
4. Incorporate Milk and Vanilla
- Add the milk and vanilla extract to the mixture and beat until well blended.
5. Combine Wet and Dry Ingredients
- Gradually add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients, mixing on low speed until just combined. Be careful not to overmix, as this can make the cookies tough.
- Tip: If the dough feels too soft, you can refrigerate it for 10-15 minutes to firm it up slightly before piping.
6. Pipe the Dough
- Transfer the dough into piping bags fitted with decorative nozzles of your choice. Star tips or round tips work well for classic butter cookies.
- On a greased and lined baking tray, pipe the dough into your desired shapes, leaving a little space between each cookie to allow for slight spreading.
- Tip: You can experiment with shapes, such as rosettes, stars, or swirls!
7. Chill the Cookies
- Place the baking tray with the piped cookies in the fridge and chill for 30 minutes. Chilling helps the cookies hold their shape while baking.
8. Bake the Cookies
- Preheat your oven to 180°C (350°F).
- Bake the cookies in the preheated oven for about 12-15 minutes or until the edges are just turning golden brown. Keep an eye on them, as they can go from golden to overdone quickly.
- Tip: If you’re baking multiple trays, rotate them halfway through to ensure even browning.
9. Cool and Enjoy
- Remove the baking tray from the oven and allow the cookies to cool on the tray for a few minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Store cooled cookies in an airtight container for up to a week, or freeze them for longer storage.
Serving Suggestions:
Serve these butter cookies with a cup of tea or coffee, or package them in festive tins as holiday gifts! Their crisp, buttery flavor and delicate texture make them a delightful treat for any occasion.