Traditional German Butter Cookies Recipe tastes buttery and crisp with tender centers and whispers of vanilla that keep you reaching for another. It suits cookie lovers who want a classic holiday bake done in about 45 minutes, from mixing to cooling. I grew up rolling these for cookie tins, and I still steal the warm corner pieces off the rack.
Homemade Traditional German Butter Cookies Recipe
Traditional German Butter Cookies Recipe uses simple pantry staples and one bowl, so you mix the dough without fuss. The dough pipes or presses cleanly, and it also rolls and cuts if you prefer shapes. You choose the method that fits your tools and time.
You chill the dough briefly so the cookies hold sharp edges. The bake time runs short, so you cycle trays quickly and finish big batches without camping by the oven.
Ingredients You Need
- Unsalted butter, 1 cup or 226 g, softened to cool room temp. European-style butter adds richer flavor, but any good unsalted butter works.
- Granulated sugar, 3/4 cup or 150 g. Superfine sugar dissolves faster if you have it.
- Large egg, 1, plus 1 extra yolk. The yolk adds tenderness and color.
- Vanilla extract, 1.5 teaspoons, or 1 packet vanilla sugar for a classic German vibe. Add 1/4 teaspoon almond extract if you like a bakery-style aroma.
- All-purpose flour, 2 1/4 cups or 270 g. Sift if it looks clumpy.
- Fine sea salt, 1/4 teaspoon. If you only have salted butter, reduce to a pinch.
- Milk or heavy cream, 1 to 2 tablespoons as needed, only if the dough feels too stiff for a cookie press.
- Optional finishes: coarse sugar for sprinkling, dark chocolate for dipping, or powdered sugar for dusting.
Equipment:
- Stand mixer or hand mixer, mixing bowl, and flexible spatula.
- Cookie press or piping bag with a large open star tip. No press or piping bag? Use a rolling pin and cutters.
- Two light-colored baking sheets, parchment or silicone mats, cooling rack.
Pantry shortcuts and notes:
- Use Dr. Oetker vanilla sugar for authentic flavor. If you only have vanilla extract, it still tastes amazing.
- Swap in 1/2 cup or 50 g of finely ground blanched almonds for part of the flour for a nutty twist.
- Gluten-free blend with xanthan gum works, though the dough may pipe softer, so chill it well.
How to Make Traditional German Butter Cookies
- Prep: 15 minutes
- Chill: 15 minutes
- Cook: 10 to 12 minutes per batch
- Total: about 45 minutes
- Heat the oven to 350°F or 175°C. Line baking sheets with parchment or silicone mats.
- Beat the butter and sugar on medium until creamy and pale, 2 to 3 minutes. Scrape the bowl.
- Mix in the egg, the extra yolk, and vanilla. Add almond extract if you use it.
- Whisk the flour and salt, then add to the bowl in two additions. Mix on low until the dough just comes together. If you plan to use a cookie press and the dough feels stiff, add 1 tablespoon milk or cream and mix briefly. The dough should feel soft but not sticky.
- Chill the dough for 15 minutes. This quick chill helps the shapes hold while still letting the dough press or pipe easily.
- For a cookie press: Load the press with dough and press shapes directly onto the lined sheets. For a piping bag: Fit a large open star tip and pipe rosettes, S’s, or logs. For roll-and-cut: Lightly flour the counter, roll the dough 1/4 inch thick, and cut shapes.
- Sprinkle with coarse sugar if you want sparkle. Keep shapes similar in size so they bake evenly.
- Bake 10 to 12 minutes until the edges turn light golden and the centers look set. Rotate the pan at the 7-minute mark if your oven runs hot on one side.
- Cool on the sheet for 2 minutes, then move cookies to a rack. They crisp as they cool.
- Dip or drizzle with melted dark chocolate once fully cool, or dust with powdered sugar. Brew coffee while you wait, because you earned it.
Tips & Common Mistakes
- Use cool room-temp butter. Over-soft butter makes spreading cookies.
- Cream butter and sugar until fluffy. Under-creaming makes dense cookies.
- Add flour on low speed. Overmixing after flour toughens the crumb.
- Test the dough with your press. If it refuses to press, work in 1 teaspoon milk at a time.
- Chill briefly, not deeply. Rock-hard dough won’t press, and too-warm dough loses ridges.
- Keep shapes uniform. Mixed sizes bake unevenly.
- Pull cookies at pale gold. Dark edges taste bitter.
- Let cookies cool on the sheet for 2 minutes. Moving them hot risks breakage.
- Use light-colored pans. Dark pans brown the bottoms too fast.
- Store with a dry slice of bread if your kitchen runs humid. The bread absorbs moisture and keeps cookies crisp.
Variations I’ve Tried
- Citrus vanilla: Add 1 teaspoon lemon zest and 1/2 teaspoon orange zest with the butter and sugar.
- Almond spritz: Swap 1/2 cup flour for finely ground blanched almonds and add 1/2 teaspoon almond extract.
- Chocolate-dipped: Dip half of each cookie in dark chocolate and finish with toasted chopped hazelnuts.
- Spice kiss: Add 1/4 teaspoon each cinnamon and cardamom for a cozy winter note.
- Jam sandwich: Bake small rounds, then sandwich with apricot or raspberry jam and dust with powdered sugar.
How to Serve Traditional German Butter Cookies
Serve these German butter cookies with afternoon coffee, a mug of tea, or a little glass of dessert wine. Stack them on a holiday cookie tray with gingerbread and vanilla kipferl for a classic spread. Pair chocolate-dipped shapes with espresso, and keep citrus-zested ones with Earl Grey. If you host a cookie swap, wrap stacks in parchment and twine for tidy, shareable gifts.
Make-Ahead and Storage
- Room temp: Store in an airtight tin at cool room temp for up to 10 days. Slip in a dry slice of bread if humidity runs high.
- Freeze baked cookies: Freeze in a hard-sided container with parchment between layers for up to 2 months. Thaw uncovered at room temp to keep them crisp. Refresh on a sheet at 300°F or 150°C for 3 to 5 minutes if needed.
- Freeze dough: Pressable dough freezes well in a zipper bag for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge until pliable, then let it sit on the counter 15 minutes before pressing. For roll-and-cut, form dough into two flat discs, wrap tight, and freeze; thaw overnight in the fridge.
- Make ahead for a party: Bake two days before and store airtight. Dip or dust the day you serve for the best texture.
Nutrition Information
- Yield: about 50 small cookies
- Serving: 1 cookie
- Approximate per cookie: 65 to 70 calories; fat 4 g; saturated fat 2.5 g; carbohydrates 8 g; sugars 3 g; protein 1 g; sodium 20 mg
These numbers are estimates based on standard ingredient data and typical cookie size.
Traditional German Butter Cookies
Traditional German Butter Cookies are classic, buttery treats often enjoyed during the holidays, featuring a simple, melt-in-your-mouth texture.
Ingredients
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C) and line baking sheets with parchment paper.
- In a large bowl, cream together the softened butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
- Beat in the egg and vanilla extract until fully combined.
- Gradually add the flour and salt, mixing until a soft dough forms.
- Roll out the dough to about 1/4-inch thickness on a floured surface and cut out cookies using cookie cutters.
- Place cookies on prepared baking sheets, leaving space between each.
- Bake for 10-12 minutes or until the edges are just beginning to turn golden.
- Allow cookies to cool on the pan for a few minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
Notes
For added decoration, dust cooled cookies with powdered sugar or dip edges in melted chocolate. Store in an airtight container for up to a week.