This recipe for basic butter cookies is so versatile. It can be scooped, rolled, sliced, pressed, or cut out with cookie cutters!
Prep Time 25 minutesminutes
Cook Time 12 minutesminutes
Chill Time 1 hourhour
Total Time 1 hourhour37 minutesminutes
Servings 26
Ingredients
1cup(227g)unsalted butter, room temperature
¾cup(177g)granulated sugar
¼teaspoonsalt
1tablespoonpure vanilla extract
1large egg yolk, room temperature
2 ¼cups(292g)all-purpose flour
2tablespoonsturbinado sugar
Instructions
Beat the butter, sugar, together until creamy.
Mix in the salt and vanilla followed by the egg yolk. Stop to scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed.
Add the flour and mix just until incorporated.
Divide the dough in half and shape each half into a disk. Wrap each half tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1-2 hours, until firm.
Preheat the oven to 350°F and line 3 baking sheets with parchment.
Between 2 pieces of parchment paper, roll 1 piece of dough to 1/8-inch thickness. With floured 2 to 3-inch cookie cutters, cut the dough into as many cookies as possible. Wrap and refrigerate the leftover trimmings.
Place the cookies 1-inch apart on the prepared baking sheet. Sprinkle the top of each cookie with turbinado sugar or colored sugar.
Bake for 10-12 minutes, until just beginning to turn golden around the edges.
Cool on the pan for 5 minutes then transfer to a cooling rack to cool completely.
Notes
The recipe can be used in a variety of ways:
Shape the dough into a log and refrigerate for 2 hours. Slice into 1/4-inch thickness.
Scoop the dough with a 1 and 1/2 to 2-tablespoon sized cookie scoop and drop it onto the baking sheet.
Roll the dough into 1 and 1/2 to 2-tablespoon sized balls.