Butter cookies are a simple classic made with a rich buttery dough that pipes easily into swirls and bakes into delicate, tender cookies. They use just a handful of basic ingredients, making them a good choice for holiday cookie trays, gift boxes, or an everyday treat.

The base dough can also be flavored in different ways, so you can make vanilla, coffee, chocolate, or matcha cookies from the same recipe. That makes it easy to create an assorted batch without having to start over with a completely different dough.

Soft Crumb Swirls with a Crisp Finish

The first bite is delicate and crumbly, with a soft, buttery richness that seems to dissolve almost as soon as it hits your tongue. The edges have just enough crispness to give a little contrast, while the center stays tender and fine textured.

They have that old fashioned bakery cookie feel, with a light sweetness and a rich butter aroma that makes them especially hard to resist while they are still fresh. Served with a hot cup of coffee or tea, they are the kind of simple cookie that feels quietly indulgent without being overly sweet.

Ingredients

• 240 g unsalted butter, softened
• 80 g powdered sugar
• 2 g salt
• 6 g vanilla extract
• 160 g cake flour
• 160 g cornstarch

Flavor Options

Choose one:

• Vanilla: No additional flavoring
• Coffee: 4 g coffee extract
• Chocolate: 12 g unsweetened cocoa powder, replacing 12 g of the cake flour
• Matcha: 8 g matcha powder, replacing 8 g of the cake flour

Instructions

1. Prepare the oven and pan:
   Preheat the oven to 325°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. Cream the butter and sugar:
   Beat the softened butter and powdered sugar together until smooth, pale, and creamy. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed.
3. Add the vanilla and salt:
   Mix in the vanilla extract and salt until evenly combined.
4. Add the dry ingredients:
   Sift in the cake flour and cornstarch. Mix on low speed just until a soft, smooth dough forms. Do not overmix.
5. Add the flavoring:
   Divide the dough if making more than one flavor. Mix in the coffee extract, cocoa powder, or matcha powder, or leave the dough plain for vanilla.
6. Pipe the cookies:
   Transfer the dough to a piping bag fitted with a large open star tip. Pipe small swirls onto the prepared baking sheet, leaving a little space between each cookie.
7. Chill if needed:
   If the dough feels soft or the piped swirls are starting to lose their shape, chill the tray for 15 to 20 minutes before baking. This helps the cookies hold sharper ridges and reduces spreading. If the dough is already firm and the swirls hold their shape well, you can bake them right away.
8. Bake:
   Bake for 14 to 18 minutes, or until the edges are set and just beginning to turn lightly golden. The tops should stay fairly pale.
9. Cool:
   Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 5 to 10 minutes, then transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely.

Why Metric?

For clarity and consistency, I use metric measurements in my recipes. It's more accurate (especially for baking), easier to scale up or down, and ensures better results — no guessing whether your "cup" is packed or level. But don’t worry, US equivalents are included below so you can bake with whatever you have on hand.

Butter Cookie Base

Coffee Version

Chocolate Version

Matcha Version

Storage

• Store completely cooled butter cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 week.
• Place parchment paper between layers if stacking the cookies to help protect the piped shapes.
• The cookies can also be frozen in an airtight freezer safe container for up to 2 months.
• Thaw frozen cookies at room temperature before serving.

Notes

• Use softened butter that is cool to the touch, not melted or overly warm. Butter that is too soft can make the cookies spread and lose their piped shape.
• Sift the cake flour and cornstarch before mixing so the dough stays smooth and easy to pipe.
• Mix the dough only until combined. Overmixing can make the cookies less tender.
• If the dough feels too firm to pipe, let it sit at room temperature for a few minutes. If it feels too soft, chill it briefly before piping.
• For chocolate or matcha cookies, replace a small amount of the cake flour with cocoa powder or matcha so the dough does not become too dry.
• The cookies should stay fairly pale while baking, with only a light golden color around the edges.

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Thank you for being here as I start this journey. I can’t wait to share more recipes, tips, and stories with you — one crumb at a time.

Stay tuned,
~ Clever Crumbs