Easy to make butter cookie recipe that melt in your mouth and have amazing butter flavor! With crisp edges and a tender center, they are not only a holiday classic but delicious year round.
Preheat the oven to 375°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, cream butter until smooth. Mix in sugar 2 minutes, or until fluffy. Beat in egg and vanilla until combined. (*see notes if piping cookies instead of pressing)
In a medium bowl, whisk the flour, baking powder, and salt.
With the mixer on, gradually add the flour mixture into the sugar mixture until combined. Cover and chill dough 10 minutes.
Roll dough into small balls and place on the baking sheet. Using 3 fingers, a fork, or a cookie press, press dough balls flat.
Bake 6 to 8 minutes, or until the edges are just barely turning golden. Remove from the oven and transfer to a cooling rack to cool completely.
Enjoy plain or topped with powdered sugar icing and sprinkles.
Notes
Pipe the dough: This dough is so pretty when piped and it isn't hard to do.
Add 2 Tablespoons milk when you add the eggs and vanilla to the butter mixture. If the dough is too thick to pipe, add 1 more Tablespoon milk to soften it up.
In a piping bag fitted with an #826 open star pastry tip, add the dough. Pipe cookies in circles onto the baking sheet and follow instructions from there.
Storage:These cookies will keep in a covered container on the counter up to 4 days.
Freeze: Store in a freezer-friendly container in the freezer up to 3 months. When ready to eat, remove from the freezer and let thaw on the counter.