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You do not need any piping equipment to make these cookies. This recipe is as easy as (1) make the cookie dough, (2) shape the cookies on the palm of your hand, and (3) off to the oven they go! And in just a few minutes, you will be enjoying crunchy cookies that simply melt in your mouth. This handmade butter cookies recipe is a lifesaver especially if you want something quick, easy, and amazingly delicious.

Ingredients for handmade butter cookies

Unsalted butter: You will need one stick (1/2 cup) of butter. It should be at room temperature for easy mixing with the flour.

Icing sugar: You will need 3/4 cup of it. Make sure to use icing sugar and not granulated sugar, as the sugar granules will not get a chance to dissolve, and your cookies will come out looking like something else. In fact, the cookie dough may not hold together at all if you use granulated sugar.

Salt: You will need just an eighth of a teaspoon (1/8 tsp) of salt for this recipe. A little goes a long way, so please do not oversalt the cookies.

Egg: One egg is enough. Beyond the nutritional aspect, the egg acts as a binder, holding the cookie dough together. It also adds color to the cookies.

Vegetable oil: You will need 30ml of vegetable oil. This, together with butter, will give the cookies that lovely crumbly texture that we all love.

Vanilla extract: This is an optional ingredient in this recipe, but it does help curb any smell of the egg that may linger in the cookies. You will need one teaspoon of pure vanilla extract.

All-purpose flour: You will need exactly 2 cups of flour for this handmade butter cookies recipe. Sift the flour before measuring, and make sure the cups are not heaped when measuring. A little more flour and you mess up the cookie texture; a little less flour and the cookie dough is too soft to be shaped by hand and yet too firm to be piped. Believe me, I’ve been there.

Baking powder: Finally, add one teaspoon (1 tsp) of baking powder to the mix to ensure your cookies rise perfectly and get that soft and crumbly texture. Missing out on this ingredient may lead to awfully dense and tough cookies.

Steps

Combine butter, sugar, and salt in a large bowl. Mix with a spatula until well combined with no lumps.

Add one egg and whisk it in. Then, add vegetable oil and vanilla extract. Continue whisking until the mixture turns very smooth and sort of creamy.
Add flour and baking powder. Fold them in using a spatula until all the flour is absorbed into the dough. The dough should be firm and non-sticky.

Transfer the dough onto a wide and flat surface and divide it into cookie sizes. To do this, I used a tablespoon to scoop up equal sizes of dough. This dough gave me twenty-two cookies.
Shape each piece of cookie dough by rolling it into a ball between the two palms of your hands. Then, place it on one palm and gently press on it with your index finger to flatten it a little and make it into a disc-like shape. Grab a small knife and use either the sharp or the blunt edge to slightly press on the dough from one end to the other to introduce a nice look to it. Lay the ready cookie dough pieces onto a baking tray lined with parchment paper. Make sure to evenly spread the pieces on the tray.

Bake the cookies at 350F for 15-20mins. As soon as the edges begin to deepen in color, you are all set!

Allow the cookies to fully cool down in an aerated space before serving. They will be too soft when they first come out of the oven, but they will harden up when fully cooled.
Serve and enjoy with tea, coffee, or a cold drink. If you’re feeling creative, drizzle melted chocolate or spread jam between two cookies for a sandwich-style treat.

How to store handmade butter cookies

Store any leftover cookies in an airtight container to retain their perfect crunch. They will be good at room temperature for up to one week.

Handmade Butter Cookies Recipe

Recipe by MaggieCourse: Breakfast, SnacksCuisine: GlobalDifficulty: Easy

Servings

servings

Prep time

minutes

Cooking time

minutes

Total time

minutes

Measure the ingredients accurately for perfect results.

Ingredients

Unsalted butter – 1 stick (1/2 cup)
Icing sugar – 3/4 cup
Salt – 1/8tsp
Egg – 1
Vegetable oil – 30ml
Vanilla extract (optional) – 1 tsp
All-purpose flour – 2 cups
Baking powder – 1 tsp

Directions

Combine butter, sugar, and salt in a large bowl. Mix with a spatula until well combined with no lumps.
Add one egg and whisk it in. Then, add vegetable oil and vanilla extract. Continue whisking until the mixture turns very smooth and sort of creamy.
Add flour and baking powder. Fold them in using a spatula until all the flour is absorbed into the dough. The dough should be firm and non-sticky.
Transfer the dough onto a wide and flat surface and divide it into cookie sizes. To do this, I used a tablespoon to scoop up equal sizes of dough. This dough gave me twenty-two cookies.
Shape each piece of cookie dough by rolling it into a ball between the two palms of your hands. Then, place it on one palm and gently press on it with your index finger to flatten it a little and make it into a disc-like shape. Grab a small knife and use either the sharp or the blunt edge to slightly press on the dough from one end to the other to introduce a nice look to it. Lay the ready cookie dough pieces onto a baking tray lined with parchment paper. Make sure to evenly spread the pieces on the tray.
Bake the cookies at 350F for 15-20mins. As soon as the edges begin to deepen in color, you are all set!
Allow the cookies to fully cool down in an aerated space before serving. They will be too soft when they first come out of the oven, but they will harden up when fully cooled.
Serve and enjoy with tea, coffee, or a cold drink! Store any leftover cookies in an airtight container to retain that perfect crunch.