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German Butter Cookies Recipe

Crispy German butter cookies or Butterplätzchen are a classic Christmas cookie recipe, perfect for baking with children.

Prep Time
30 mins
Cook Time
30 mins
Additional Time
30 mins
Total Time
1 hr 10 mins
Servings: 30 cookies
Calories: 94 kcal
Course: Baked Goods
Cuisine: German

Ingredients

  • 250 g all-purpose flour 9 oz/ 2 cups
  • 125 g granulated sugar 4.5 oz/ ⅔ cup
  • 1 tablespoon vanilla sugar Note 2
  • pinch of salt
  • 150 unsalted butter 5.5 oz/ ⅔ cup, cold
  • 1 egg
  • 1 egg yolk
  • 1 tablespoon milk
  • Sprinkles Note 3

Instructions

    Cup of Yum
  1. Dough: Place the flour, cold cubed butter, sugar, vanilla sugar, a pinch of salt, and egg in the food processor. Process shortly to form the dough.250 g all-purpose flour/ 2 cups + 150 unsalted butter/ ⅔ cup + 125 g granulated sugar/ ⅔ cups + 1 tablespoon vanilla sugar + pinch of salt + 1 egg
  2. Refrigerate: Turn the dough onto the working surface and press the dough into a disc. Don't knead. Wrap in plastic foil/cling film and refrigerate for 30 minutes or longer.
  3. Preheat the oven to 350°F/ 180°C and line the baking trays with parchment paper.
  4. Roll the dough about 0.2 inches/ 5 mm on a lightly floured surface with a lightly floured rolling pin. Cut the cookies with any cutters you like. Place on trays (Note 4).
  5. Brush: Mix the egg yolk and the milk, brush the cookies with the mixture. Sprinkle with the sprinkles.1 egg yolk + 1 tablespoon milk + sprinkles
  6. Bake for 7-10 minutes until only lightly golden. Let rest on the tray for 5 minutes, then transfer to wire racks to cool completely.
  7. Repeat: Roll the remaining dough and repeat. Roll all the scraps again and make more cookies.

Notes

  • A digital kitchen scale (the Amazon affiliate link opens in a new tab) will give you the most precise measure, ensuring the best bake possible.
  • Alternatively, use ½ teaspoons of vanilla extract or a few drops of vanilla aroma. See the blog post for instructions on how to make vanilla sugar.
  • Alternatively, use chocolate sprinkles or leave the butter cookies plain. Plain cookies can be iced. To make the icing, mix 150 g/ 1 ½ cups powdered sugar with about 2 tablespoons of lemon juice or water to form a thick paste that will not run down the pastries' sides. You can also decorate them with royal icing.
  • A digital kitchen scale (the Amazon affiliate link opens in a new tab) will give you the most precise measure, ensuring the best bake possible.
  • Alternatively, use ½ teaspoons of vanilla extract or a few drops of vanilla aroma. See the blog post for instructions on how to make vanilla sugar.
  • Alternatively, use chocolate sprinkles or leave the butter cookies plain. Plain cookies can be iced. To make the icing, mix 150 g/ 1 ½ cups powdered sugar with about 2 tablespoons of lemon juice or water to form a thick paste that will not run down the pastries' sides. You can also decorate them with royal icing.
  • Baking sheets: If using only one tray repeatedly, don't place the second/third batch of cookies on a hot tray. Cut them, decorate them with sprinkles, and only put them on the hot/warm tray when they are ready to go into the oven. You will not have this problem using several trays, but most people don't have more than 2 anyway. Use a plastic spatula to transfer the unbaked cookies to the tray.

Nutrition Information

Serving 1cookie Calories 94kcal (5%) Carbohydrates 12g (4%) Protein 1g (2%) Fat 5g (8%) Saturated Fat 3g (15%) Polyunsaturated Fat 2g Cholesterol 23mg (8%) Sodium 8mg (0%) Sugar 5g (10%)

Nutrition Facts

Serving: 30cookies

Amount Per Serving

Calories 94

% Daily Value*

Serving 1cookie
Calories 94kcal 5%
Carbohydrates 12g 4%
Protein 1g 2%
Fat 5g 8%
Saturated Fat 3g 15%
Polyunsaturated Fat 2g 12%
Cholesterol 23mg 8%
Sodium 8mg 0%
Sugar 5g 10%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.