These tender melt in your mouth Christmas Butter Cookies are my #1 requested cookie recipe.  I’ve made these cookies 100’s of times!!  They are the perfect cookie to make for the holidays and they get more buttery each day after they’re made.

Butter cookies.

I’ve made these melt in your mouth Butter Cookies a zillion…zillion times over the past 50 years. This is one of my two most requested cookie recipes from all of my friends.  These cookies are loaded with butter and then frosted with a rich buttercream frosting.  They are even better the day after they are made, and they keep well for several days in an airtight container.  I make these wonderful cut out cookies for all Holidays!  You will see various cutouts of these cookies posted for different holidays…  

Butter makes everything better…well except for my cholesterol. I won’t waste my time baking my favorite recipes, unless I use real butter.  Once you try it in a batch of cookies, you will never go back! Real butter and pure vanilla are the key ingredients that make all baked goods AWESOME!

How to make butter cookies

In a medium bowl, mix together the flour, salt and baking powder.

In a large bowl, mix butter and powdered sugar on low speed with a mixer until the sugar is incorporated, then on medium speed until the mixture is light and creamy. Stir in dry ingredients that have been sifted together or mixed well with a fork.

Working with about 1/3 of the dough at a time, roll dough out to about 1/4″ in thickness, on a lightly floured surface.

Cut into desired shapes with cookie cutters and place on an ungreased cookie sheet and bake.

Professional tips

  • Do not over bake the cookies.  The cookies should still be very light colored on tops and a very light brown on bottoms.
  • Cool completely before removing from cookie sheets.  These cookies break easily when warm.
  • Make the cookies at least one day before you’re going to serve them. The flavor gets better each day after they’re made.

Click here to see my second most popular  cookie recipe.

Butter cookies.

Making the butter icing

Melt the butter in a saucepan or use a microwave.  Add the vanilla and 1 tablespoon of the milk and mix it in. Slowly add in the powdered sugar. Add the second tablespoon of milk as needed for perfect spreading consistency. Beat the icing with a spoon until it’s satiny smooth. If the frosting seems too thick, add a tiny bit more milk, only 1 teaspoon at a time. If it’s too thin, add a little more sugar.

Frost and decorate the cookies. Let the cookies sit, until the frosting has completely set.

Store the cookies between layers of wax paper in an airtight container.

Christmas Butter Cookies.

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Christmas Butter Cookies

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star 5 from 6 reviews
  • Author: Cindy Gibbs at My Country Table
  • Prep Time: 30 minutes
  • Cook Time: 13 to 15 minutes
  • Total Time: 25
  • Yield: 24 1x
  • Category: cookies
  • Method: bake
  • Cuisine: American

Description

These tender melt in your mouth Butter Cookies are my #1 requested cookie recipe.  I’ve made these cookies 100’s of times!!  They are the perfect cookie to make for the holidays and they get more buttery each day after they’re made.


Ingredients

Units Scale

For the Cookies

  • 2 cups real unsalted butter, softened
  • 1 cup powdered sugar
  • 4 cups all purpose flour, more for dusting
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt

For the Icing

  • 1 pound powdered sugar, maybe more
  • 5 1/3 tablespoons (1/3 cup real unsalted butter), softened
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla
  • 2 tablespoons milk, (enough milk for easy spreading consistency)


Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees

For the Cookies

  1. In a medium bowl, mix together the flour, salt and baking powder.
  2. In a large bowl, mix butter and powdered sugar on low speed with a mixer until the sugar is incorporated, then on medium speed until the mixture is light and creamy. Stir in dry ingredients that have been sifted together or mixed well with a fork.
  3. Working with about 1/3 of the dough at a time, roll dough out to about 1/4″ in thickness, on a lightly floured surface. Cut into desired shapes with cookie cutters and place on an ungreased cookie sheet.
  4. Bake for about 13 to 15 minutes or until the bottoms and edges are lightly browned and the tops are still very light, (not browned at all). Cool on a wire rack and decorate with buttercream frosting.

For the Icing

  1. Melt the butter in a saucepan or use a microwave.  Add the vanilla and 1 tablespoon of the milk and mix it in. Slowly add in the powdered sugar. Add the second tablespoon of milk as needed for perfect spreading consistency. Beat the icing with a spoon until it’s satiny smooth. If the frosting seems too thick, add a tiny bit more milk, only 1 teaspoon at a time. If it’s too thin, add a little more sugar.
  2. Frost and decorate the cookies. Let the cookies sit, until the frosting has completely set.
  3. Store the cookies between layers of wax paper in an airtight container.

Notes

  • These cookies keep well for up to two weeks in an airtight container. They also taste more buttery the day after they are baked.
  • Unfrosted cookies can be frozen for up to three months.