This Old Fashioned Butter Cookie Recipe will bake up a delicious rich-tasting, buttery, crispy, melt-in-your-mouth cookie. These cookies go perfect with a cup of coffee or a tall glass of milk!

WHY YOU WILL LOVE THIS RECIPE

• If you love the old-fashioned butter cookies from the blue tin, these will take you back and they’re even better!
• They are easy to mix up and prepare because they are a slice-and-bake cookie.
• This recipe has only three ingredients.
• It’s a delicious cookie to tuck into a lunchbox or grab for an afternoon snack.

Ever since I was a little kid, I have always loved a good butter cookie. I always enjoyed those Danish butter cookies in the blue can. I just LOVE that buttery taste. Today I’m sharing this old-fashioned butter cookie recipe with you.

If you love a good butter cookie, you’re going to love this recipe! One of the things I like about making these cookies is that it’s a slice and bake method. You mix the dough, roll it into a log, refrigerate and then slice and bake. Easy!

With just three ingredients, here is what you will need:

INGREDIENTS

• butter, softened
• all-purpose flour
• sugar
• sanding sugar (optional)

See recipe card for quantities.

INSTRUCTIONS

Step 1: Beat butter and sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer or a large mixing bowl with a hand mixer on medium speed until butter is light and fluffy. Scrape down the bowl with a rubber spatula.

Step 2: Add the flour and beat on low increasing to medium until most of the flour is incorporated.

Step 3: Turn out ingredients onto a large piece of waxed paper and slowly mix in the remaining flour with your hands until completely combined. (The dough will be crumbly at first, but keep working the crumbs in with your hands until combined.)

Step 4: Roll the dough into a 15-inch log.

Step 5: If you’re using sanding sugar, sprinkle it all over the dough and carefully roll the log into the sugar on all sides until covered.

Step 6: Wrap dough in waxed paper and refrigerate for 30 minutes to an hour until firm.

Step 7: Preheat oven to 325° F.

Step 8: Line two cookie sheets with parchment or a Silpat baking mat and set aside. (You can skip this step if you do not have parchment or a Silpat. It just makes it a little easier to remove the cookies.)

Step 9: After dough is chilled, unwrap and slice into thick slices with a large sharp knife.

Step 10: Place cookies on cookie sheet about 1 inch apart. (I bake one cookie sheet at a time. I find the cookies bake evenly that way.)

Step 11: Bake cookies for 20 minutes or until just beginning to turn brown.

Step 12: Transfer cookies to a wire rack to cool. Enjoy!

Hint: Don’t underbake. You want your cookies to be slightly brown on the edges and crispy.

VARIATIONS

• Add 1 1/2 teaspoons of vanilla extract or 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon of almond extract. If you want to add both, use 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract and 1/4 teaspoon of almond extract.
• Add 1-2 tablespoons of orange or lemon zest for different flavors.
• Use different colors of sanding sugars to suit the occasion or holiday.
• Use colored sprinkles on the outside of the dough instead of sanding sugar to change things up.

EQUIPMENT

• stand or hand mixer
• measuring cups and spoons
• 2 cookie sheets
• Silpat or parchment paper (Optional)
• Cooling grid
• rubber/silicone spatula
• cookie or regular spatula
• ruler or tape measure

STORAGE

Store cookies at room temperature in an airtight container or sealed food storage bag for up to one week. Metal tins are also perfect for storing these cookies.

Cookies can be frozen in a single layer on a tray. Then transfer to a freezer-safe bag or airtight container. They can be frozen for up to 3 months. Bring to room temperature before serving.

Unbaked dough log can be wrapped tightly in plastic wrap and foil (or a freezer bag) and stored in the freezer for up to 2 months. You can defrost and bake or slice and bake frozen, adding 1-2 extra minutes to the baking time.

TOP TIPS

• When slicing cookie dough and it’s firm from chilling and/or you are using sanding sugar, I recommend a sharp, serrated knife. The saw-like motions help cut through the dough without squishing the log or causing too much of the sugar to come off.
• If your dough is slightly chilled and a little soft, I would recommend a sharp, smooth knife for neat edges.

RELATED

• For other cookie recipes, visit my cookie recipe page!

Old-Fashioned Butter Cookie Recipe

Michele Wendt

This Old Fashioned Butter Cookie Recipe will bake up a delicious rich-tasting, buttery, crispy, melt-in-your-mouth cookie. These cookies go perfect with a cup of coffee or a tall glass of milk!

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 15 minutes mins

Cook Time 20 minutes mins

Chilling time 30 minutes mins

Total Time 1 hour hr 5 minutes mins

Course Dessert, Snack

Cuisine American, British, English

Servings 30 cookies

Calories 100 kcal

Equipment

• stand or hand mixer
• measuring cups and spoons
• 2 cookie sheets
• Silpat or parchment paper (Optional)
• Cooling grid
• Rubber/silicone spatula
• cookie or regular spatula
• ruler or tape measure

Ingredients

  

• 3/4 cup (169g) unsalted butter, softened
• 1/2 cup (99g) granulated sugar
• 2 1/4 cups (270g) all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup (114g) sanding sugar, optional

Instructions

 

• Beat butter and sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer or a large mixing bowl with a hand mixer on medium speed until butter is light and fluffy. Scrape down the bowl with a rubber spatula.
• Add the flour and beat on low increasing to medium until most of the flour is incorporated.
• Turn out ingredients onto a large piece of waxed paper and slowly mix in the remaining flour with your hands until completely combined. (The dough will be crumbly at first, but keep working the crumbs in with your hands until combined.)
• Roll the dough into a 15-inch log.
• If you’re using sanding sugar, sprinkle it all over the dough and carefully roll the log into the sugar on all sides until covered.
• Wrap dough in waxed paper and refrigerate for 30 minutes to an hour until firm.
• Preheat oven to 325° F.
• Line two cookie sheets with parchment or a Silpat baking mat and set aside. (You can skip this step if you do not have parchment or a Silpat. It just makes it a little easier to remove the cookies.)
• After dough is chilled, unwrap and slice into thick slices with a large sharp knife.
• Place cookies on cookie sheet about 1 inch apart. (I bake one cookie sheet at a time. I find the cookies bake evenly that way.)
• Bake cookies for 20 minutes or until just beginning to turn brown.
• Transfer cookies to a wire rack to cool. Enjoy!

Notes

 

Store cookies at room temperature in an airtight container or sealed food storage bag for up to one week. Metal tins are also perfect for storing these cookies.

Cookies can be frozen in a single layer on a tray. Then transfer to a freezer-safe bag or airtight container. They can be frozen for up to 3 months. Bring to room temperature before serving.

Unbaked dough log can be wrapped tightly in plastic wrap and foil (or a freezer bag) and stored in the freezer for up to 2 months. You can defrost and bake or slice and bake frozen, adding 1-2 extra minutes to the baking time.

Keyword Butter Cookies, Slice and Bake, Sugar Cookies

A good tried and true butter cookie recipe is a must for your recipe stash. A crisp butter cookie has always been one of my favorites. These are so good to have as a snack with an afternoon cup of coffee. I hope you enjoy them as much as I do!

Sweet regards,

Michele

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