Butter Cookies with Chocolate, Cherries, and Sprinkles Recipe
Classic buttery and tender butter cookies with a delicate vanilla and almond flavor. These cookies are piped into pretty swirls or lines, chilled for perfect shape retention during baking, and optionally dipped in semi-sweet chocolate for an added indulgence. Easy to make, perfect for gifting or enjoying with tea or coffee.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Total Time: 45-50 minutes
- Yield: About 24-30 cookies 1x
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
Scale
Cookie Dough
- 1 cup (16 Tbsp; 226g) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
- 3/4 cup (150g) granulated sugar
- 1 and 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon almond extract
- 1 large egg, at room temperature
- 2 and 1/4 cups (281g) all-purpose flour (spooned & leveled)
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1–2 Tablespoons (15–30ml) milk
Optional Decorations
- 4 ounces (113g) semi-sweet chocolate, finely chopped
- Maraschino cherries
- Sprinkles or coarse sugar
Instructions
- Prepare Your Workspace: Read through the entire recipe and Notes before starting. Make room in your refrigerator for chilling baking sheets after shaping the cookies to prevent spreading during baking.
- Line Baking Sheets: Line 2–3 large baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone mats. If not lining, do not grease the pans.
- Cream Butter and Sugar: In a large bowl, use a handheld or stand mixer with paddle attachment to beat the softened butter and granulated sugar on medium-high speed until smooth, approximately 2 minutes.
- Add Flavors and Egg: Add the egg, vanilla extract, and almond extract to the butter mixture. Beat on high speed until fully combined, about 1 minute. Scrape down sides and bottom of bowl to ensure thorough mixing.
- Incorporate Dry Ingredients: On low speed, gradually add the flour and salt to the wet mixture. Increase speed to high and beat until fully combined. Then add 1.5 tablespoons of milk on medium speed, adding more if needed to achieve a creamy but pipe-able dough consistency. Avoid adding too much milk to prevent excessive spreading.
- Pipe the Cookies: Fit a large piping tip onto a piping bag. Spoon some dough into the bag and test pipe a 1–2 inch swirl or line on the prepared baking sheet. If too stiff to pipe, return dough to bowl and add an additional 1/2 tablespoon milk. Once the dough pipes easily, pipe 1–2 inch swirls or lines spaced 3 inches apart. Decorate with maraschino cherries in the center or sprinkle with sugar or sprinkles if desired.
- Chill the Shaped Cookies: Refrigerate the baking sheets for 20–30 minutes to prevent over-spreading in the oven.
- Preheat Oven: Set the oven to 350°F (177°C) while the cookies chill.
- Bake the Cookies: Bake chilled cookies for 12–15 minutes, until edges are lightly browned. Smaller cookies require about 12 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Optional Chocolate Dipping: Melt chopped semi-sweet chocolate in a double boiler or microwave in 20-second increments, stirring until smooth. Dip cooled cookies into melted chocolate and optionally top with sprinkles. Let chocolate set at room temperature for 1 hour or refrigerate 20 minutes.
- Storage: Store plain cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 week. Cookies with chocolate or cherries keep for 4 days at room temperature or 1 week refrigerated.
Notes
- Chilling the shaped cookies before baking is crucial to prevent the cookies from spreading excessively.
- Adding too much milk will make the dough too soft and increase cookie spreading.
- Use a large piping tip for best results with dough consistency.
- If dough is too stiff to pipe initially, add milk gradually to loosen it.
- Cookies with chocolate or cherries have a shorter shelf life at room temperature.
Keywords: butter cookies, piped cookies, vanilla almond cookies, homemade cookies, easy cookie recipe, chocolate dipped cookies
