Description
Classic Old-Fashioned Butter Cookies with a tender, buttery texture and a delicate vanilla flavor. These cookies are shaped using a cookie press for a traditional look and baked to golden perfection, perfect for sharing or festive occasions.
Ingredients
Scale
Butter Mixture
- ½ cup unsalted butter, softened
- ½ cup butter-flavored shortening
- ¾ cup granulated sugar (up to 1 cup for sweeter cookies)
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
- 2 large egg yolks
- 1½ teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon butter emulsion (optional)
Dry Ingredients
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
Instructions
- Preheat Oven and Prepare Pans: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line baking sheets with parchment paper to prevent sticking and ensure even baking.
- Cream Butter and Shortening: In a mixing bowl, cream together the softened unsalted butter and butter-flavored shortening until the mixture is smooth and well combined.
- Add Sugar and Flavorings: Add granulated sugar to the creamed mixture and beat until fluffy. Then incorporate the sea salt, egg yolks, pure vanilla extract, and optional butter emulsion for enhanced flavor and aroma.
- Incorporate Flour: Gradually stir in the all-purpose flour, mixing until a soft dough forms. If the dough is too soft to handle, chill it briefly to firm up.
- Shape Cookies: Use a cookie press to shape the dough into desired cookie shapes directly onto the prepared baking sheets. Once shaped, chill the cookie sheets with the dough for one hour to help the cookies maintain their shape during baking.
- Bake: Bake the cookies in the preheated oven for 13-15 minutes or until they turn golden around the edges.
- Cool: Allow the cookies to cool on the baking pan for a few minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely, preserving their crisp texture.
Notes
- Chilling the dough before and after shaping is essential to maintain cookie shape and prevent spreading during baking.
- Butter emulsion is optional but adds a richer buttery aroma to the cookies.
- Adjust sugar quantity based on desired sweetness; for sweeter cookies, use up to 1 cup of sugar.
- Use parchment paper or silicone mats to prevent cookies from sticking and for easy clean-up.
- These cookies can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to a week.
