Butter Cookies

Total Time

Prep: 25 min. Bake: 10 min./batch

Makes

about 6-1/2 dozen

Updated: Jun. 30, 2023
This great butter cookie recipe is a favorite of my nephews, who love the creamy frosting. —Ruth Griggs, South Hill, Virginia

Ingredients

  • 1 cup butter, softened
  • 3/4 cup sugar
  • 1 large egg, room temperature
  • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 2-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • FROSTING:
  • 1/2 cup butter, softened
  • 4 cups confectioners' sugar
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 3 to 4 tablespoons 2% milk
  • Red food coloring, optional

Directions

  1. Preheat oven to 375°. Cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy, 5-7 minutes. Beat in egg and vanilla. In another bowl, whisk flour, baking powder and salt; gradually beat into creamed mixture.
  2. Using a cookie press fitted with a heart disk, press dough 1 in. apart onto ungreased baking sheets. Bake until set but not brown, 6-8 minutes. Cool on wire racks.
  3. For frosting, beat butter, confectioners' sugar, vanilla and enough milk to reach a spreading consistency. If desired, tint with food coloring. Decorate cookies as desired.

Test Kitchen Tips
  • Unless otherwise specified, Taste of Home recipes are tested with lightly salted butter. Unsalted, or sweet, butter is sometimes used to achieve a buttery flavor, such as in shortbread cookies or buttercream frosting. In these recipes, added salt would detract from the buttery taste desired.
  • Make these cookies work for any occasion by switching up the shape and getting creative with the frosting.
  • Check out our 10 best cookie recipes of all time.
  • Nutrition Facts

    1 cookie: 157 calories, 7g fat (4g saturated fat), 24mg cholesterol, 99mg sodium, 22g carbohydrate (15g sugars, 0 fiber), 1g protein.