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Home » Course » Dessert » Danish Butter Cookies Recipe

Published: Dec 5, 2020 · Modified: Nov 29, 2022 by Veronika's Kitchen * This post may contain affiliate links

Danish Butter Cookies Recipe

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These homemade Danish Butter Cookies are traditional Christmas Cookies recipe. Crispy outside and soft inside, they are dipped in chocolate and decorated with sprinkles for a classic festive look.

Danish Butter cookies, half covered with chocolate and sprinkles on a white plate.

Danish Butter Cookies are one of my favorite treats during the holidays. They are perfectly crispy outside and soft inside. I love decorating them by dipping half of a cookie in melted chocolate and topping with some sprinkles for a classic festive look.

This recipe is very similar to my Almond Spritz Cookies. The only difference here is we need to add a couple of teaspoons of milk to make the dough more pipeable.

This recipe will be perfect for a yearly Christmas cookie exchange party, together with my other cookies, like Orange Cranberry Biscotti, Brownie Cookies, Bakery Style Chocolate Chip Cookies, Oatmeal Cranberry Cookies, Snickerdoodle Cookies, Raspberry Thumbprint Cookies, Apricot Rugelach, Pistachio Cookies, Monster Cookies, and my Best Cup Out Sugar Cookies Recipe.

Ingredients for Danish Butter Cookies.

How to make it

Using a stand mixer with a paddle attachment or hand mixer, cream together 1 cup butter and ⅔ cup granulated sugar for a few minutes. The mixture should be light and airy.

Process photos of Mixing butter with sugar, using a hand mixer.

Add 1 egg and 1 tsp vanilla extract. Mix it again until well combined.

Process photos of adding an egg and vanilla extract to cookie batter.

Add 2 cups all-purpose flour and ¼ tsp salt and mix on low speed until just combined.

Process photos of adding dry ingredients to cookie batter.

Add 2 teaspoons milk and mix. The dough should be a pipeable consistency but not runny. You can add more milk if needed, but try to use as little milk as possible.

NOTE: In this recipe, I use a large piping nose (Ateco 849) and use only 2 tsp milk to have the right consistency.

Process photos of mixing cookie dough.

Transfer the dough to a piping bag with a large piping tip.

Pipe 2-inch swirls on a baking sheet (don’t use parchment paper!), 3 inches apart.

Cookie dough in a piping bag and piped cookies on a baking pan.

Place the baking sheet with piped cookies in the fridge for 15-20 minutes. This extra step will help them keep their shape while baking.

Preheat the oven to 350°F.

Bake the cookies at 350°F for about 15 minutes or until they are golden brown on the sides.

When done, remove from the oven and let them sit on the baking sheet for about 10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool off completely.

Danish Butter Cookies on a wire rack.

While they are cooling off, we can prepare the chocolate. You can melt it on a double boiler or in a microwave. Put the chopped chocolate in a medium heat-proof bowl and microwave in 20 seconds increments, stirring after each increment.

Dip ⅔ of the cookies into melted chocolate and place on a parchment paper. Decorate with sprinkles and let them dry off completely.

Process photos of dipping cookies into melted chocolate and topping with sprinkles.

Tips for Best Results

  • I prefer to use a wide piping tip, like Ateco 849 or Ateco 826. This way it will be easier to pipe thinker dough. Also, the thinker the dough, the better it will keep the shape while baking.
  • If you don’t have a large piping nose, you can you a classic Wilton 1M. Although you will need to add more milk to the dough to thin it out. This is not the best option, as the cookies will spread more while baking.
  • It’s easier to pipe out the dough directly on the baking sheet and not parchment paper, because it will stick better.
  • If your dough is too thick and doesn’t pipe well, squeeze it back to the bowl and add 1-2 teaspoons of milk and mix. Then scoop it back to a piping bag and try to pipe out again.
  • Always refrigerate the piped cookies before baking, which helps them keep their shape and prevent spreading.
A bite shot of Danish Butter Cookies on white table.

Frequently Asked Questions

How to store?

You can keep Danish Butter Cookies in an air-tight container on your kitchen counter for up to a week.

Can you freeze them?

Yes. When the cookies are cooled off completely, transfer them to a zip-lock bag or an air-tight container and freeze for up to 3 months.

Why my cookies came out flat?

There could be two reasons why that happened. The first, you might added too much milk and the dough became too runny. The second reason is you didn’t refrigerate the piped out cookies before baking. This step is crucial as it helps to keep the shape and not spread too much.

Can I use a Cookie Press instead of piping them out?

Yes! You can use a cookie press for this recipe. The only thing is the size of the cookies will be smaller, which means that the baking time will be shorter.

Danish Butter cookies, half covered with chocolate and sprinkles on a white plate.
Danish Butter cookies, half covered with chocolate and sprinkles on a table.
Print Recipe
5 from 8 votes

Danish Butter Cookies Recipe

These homemade Danish Butter Cookies are traditional Christmas Cookies. Crispy outside and soft inside, they are dipped in chocolate and decorated with sprinkles for a classic festive look.
Prep Time20 mins
Cook Time15 mins
Total Time55 mins
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Servings: 22 cookies
Calories: 148kcal
Author: Veronika’s Kitchen

Ingredients

  • 1 cup unsalted butter room temperature
  • ⅔ cup granulated sugar
  • 1 large egg room temperature
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • 2 teaspoons milk
  • 3 oz semi-sweet or milk chocolate
  • 3 tablespoons sprinkles

Instructions

  • Using a stand mixer with a paddle attachment or hand mixer, cream together 1 cup butter and ⅔ cup granulated sugar for a few minutes. The mixture should be light and airy.
  • Add 1 egg and 1 tsp vanilla extract. Mix it again until well combined.
  • Add 2 cups all-purpose flour and ¼ tsp salt and mix on low speed until just combined.
  • Add 2 teaspoons milk and mix. The dough should be a pipeable consistency but not runny. You can add more milk if needed, but try to use as little milk as possible.
  • Transfer the dough to a piping bag with a large piping tip.
  • Pipe 2-inch swirls on a baking sheet (don’t use parchment paper!), 3 inches apart.
  • Place the baking sheet with piped cookies in the fridge for 15-20 minutes. This extra step will help them keep their shape while baking.
  • Preheat the oven to 350°F.
  • Bake the cookies for about 15 minutes or until they are golden brown on the sides.
  • When done, remove from the oven and let them sit on the baking sheet for about 10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool off completely.
  • While they are cooling off, we can prepare the chocolate. You can melt it on a double boiler or in a microwave. Put the chopped chocolate in a medium heat-proof bowl and microwave in 20 seconds increments, stirring after each increment.
  • Dip ⅔ of the cookies into melted chocolate and place on a parchment paper. Decorate with sprinkles and let them dry off completely.

Video

Notes

  • I prefer to use a wide piping tip, like Ateco 849 or Ateco 826. This way it will be easier to pipe thinker dough. Also, the thinker the dough, the better it will keep the shape while baking.
  • If you don’t have a large piping nose, you can you a classic Wilton 1M. Although you will need to add more milk to the dough to thin it out. This is not the best option, as the cookies will spread more while baking.
  • It’s easier to pipe out the dough directly on the baking sheet and not parchment paper, because it will stick better.
  • If your dough is too thick and doesn’t pipe well, squeeze it back to the bowl and add 1-2 teaspoons of milk and mix. Then scoop it back to a piping bag and try to pipe out again.
  • Always refrigerate the piped cookies before baking, which helps them keep their shape and prevent spreading.

Nutrition

Serving: 1cookie | Calories: 148kcal | Carbohydrates: 16g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 9g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Cholesterol: 30mg | Sodium: 31mg | Potassium: 17mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 7g | Vitamin A: 269IU | Calcium: 6mg | Iron: 1mg
Did you make this recipe?I’d love to know how it turned out! Please let me know by leaving a review below. Or snap a photo and share it on Instagram; be sure to tag me @veronikaskitchen.

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Reader Interactions

Comments

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    Recipe Rating




  1. Irene says

    December 04, 2022 at 11:04 am

    5 stars
    Thanks for nice and quick receipt, it was very easy and fun to make it with kid.

    Reply
    • Veronika's Kitchen says

      December 19, 2022 at 4:55 pm

      Thank you so much, Irene!

      Reply
  2. Mary Lou Shell says

    October 24, 2022 at 7:55 pm

    Can you use a cookie press instead of piping these. It seems it might be easier.

    Reply
    • Veronika's Kitchen says

      October 31, 2022 at 11:34 am

      Hi Mary Lou! Yes, you can use a cookie press, but you will need to add a bit less milk to the dough, so it doesn’t spread too much.

      Reply
  3. Allison says

    December 11, 2021 at 6:57 pm

    1. Why can I not use parchment paper .

    2. Can I freeze these with chocolate

    Reply
    • Veronika's Kitchen says

      December 13, 2021 at 9:15 am

      Hi Allison,
      1. I always prefer to pipe out danish and spritz cookies right on the baking sheet (not parchment paper) because they will stick better. If you want to use parchment paper, you can, but it will be harder to create the shape of the cookies and let them stick.
      2. It’s better to freeze them without chocolate.

      Reply
  4. Jessica PItzel says

    December 22, 2020 at 8:33 pm

    Tip…..definetly don’t use a smaller tip than what is suggested. Let’s just say they didn’t turn out 🙂

    Reply
    • Veronika's Kitchen says

      December 23, 2020 at 12:33 pm

      Yes, if you use a narrow piping tip, you really have to put extra milk to make the dough pliable, which results in flat cookies. When you use a wide tip, you can keep the dough thicker, so the cookies will keep their shape.

      Reply
  5. Jo says

    December 14, 2020 at 4:26 am

    5 stars
    Absolute love. These Danish butter cookies looks so festive, so fun to make and very delicious! My kids would love this any day. So perfect!

    Reply
  6. Loreto Nardelli says

    December 13, 2020 at 8:34 pm

    5 stars
    These cookies are just beautiful! They always remind me of Christmas! Nicoletta makes these every year and I am always in the cookie jar at midnight!
    Thanks for sharing!

    Reply
  7. Moop Brown says

    December 13, 2020 at 7:29 pm

    5 stars
    What a yummy and tasty looking take on this classic recipe. Definitely wanting to make these as a holiday treat for this year.

    Reply
  8. Alex says

    December 13, 2020 at 2:00 pm

    Oh, man. I live in Germany so don’t have the right flour or butter to make these but if I did, I’d be running to the kitchen! These bring back such awesome childhood memories.

    Reply
  9. Erin says

    December 13, 2020 at 1:46 pm

    Oooh, I haven’t had these since I was a kid and my parents bought the huge containers of them! I love all the tips for the piping part. I’ll definitely need them!

    Reply
    • Em says

      December 06, 2021 at 8:38 pm

      How long will they last?

      Reply
      • Veronika's Kitchen says

        December 07, 2021 at 9:41 am

        You can keep them in an air-tight container on your kitchen counter for up to a week.

        Reply
  10. Veronika Sykorova says

    December 13, 2020 at 1:29 am

    I can taste how perfectly crispy and crumbly these are just from the photos! Can’t wait to make these tomorrow!

    Reply
  11. Chef Dennis says

    December 08, 2020 at 2:37 am

    5 stars
    Hmm yum! My family will surely love to have these danish butter cookies! The cookies are really delicious and satisfying in every bite.

    Reply
  12. Tracy says

    December 08, 2020 at 12:43 am

    5 stars
    These cookies are so good! Such a Christmas classic. Great recipe, thank you!

    Reply
  13. FOODHEAL says

    December 07, 2020 at 10:15 pm

    5 stars
    I love the fine lines on these Danish cookies. Your recipe is perfect, these are perfect Xmas gift that looks like those Danish cookies in the shops.

    Reply
  14. Gloria says

    December 07, 2020 at 2:27 pm

    5 stars
    I have not started my holiday baking yet, but I would love to grab one of these off my computer screen. Perfect for the holiday treat tray. They would make a great food gift too.

    Reply

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