BEST BUTTERPLÄTZCHEN RECIPE -GERMAN CHRISTMAS COOKIES
“Butterplätzchen” translates to little butter Christmas cookies, a German classic made with only 5 ingredients. They are less sweet than sugar cookies and the high butter content gives them their typical irresistible melt in your mouth consistency.
Enjoy them lightly golden brown and plain or decorated. To make them sweeter, you can add some sugar glaze or dip them in melted chocolate, or my daughter’s favourite version, a simple lemon glaze with lots of colourful sprinkles.
They are great to make with kids. If it feels too overwhelming and messy to make them in one afternoon you can spread the Christmas baking fun out to two or three days. Make the dough on the first day, cut out and bake cookies the next day and decorate them the day after.
They are usually small and rather thin so make sure you get all your small cookie cutters out for these delicious little cookies and have fun decorating them!
TIPS TO MAKE THE BEST BUTTERPLÄTZCHEN
Use high quality ingredients if you can. These cookies have a high butter content which gives them their irresistible melt in your mouth consistency. I like to use grassfed unsalted butter and farm fresh eggs for this recipe.
If you don’t have access to Vanilla sugar, follow my recipe for homemade Vanilla sugar or substitute with pure Vanilla bean extract and stay away from imitation Vanilla.
If you don’t want to use an electric mixer, you can totally knead this dough by hand- it’s up to you!
If you decide to make the lemon glace, use freshly squeezed lemon juice and zest for best flavour.
If you don’t want to use lemon juice in the glaze, you can also substitute with water or freshly squeezed orange juice and zest.
Use a kitchen scale if you can, to weigh your ingredients rather than measuring them in cups. This will ensure accurate ingredients and will result in a great end product.
Chill the dough at least for 30 minutes in the fridge. If the dough is too warm you won’t be able to handle it properly.
To avoid it from sticking to your work surface, lightly flour it beforehand.
If you don’t have time to make the cookies the same day you made the dough you can keep it in the fridge overnight or even freeze it tightly wrapped in saran wrap for up to three months. Just thaw it in the fridge completely before rolling it out.
Once the cookies are in the oven watch them carefully and take them out once they are lightly golden brown and not too dark. Every oven works differently, and you might want to rotate your baking sheet midway through to ensure even baking.
Store your cookies in a dry, cool and dark place preferable in a cookie tin or container for up to six weeks.
INGREDIENTS
For the cookie dough:
500 g all- purpose flour
200 g granulated sugar
350 g unsalted butter, cubed into pieces
2 medium egg yolks
1 medium egg
3 tsp Vanilla sugar or 1 tsp pure Vanilla extract
For the lemon glaze:
150 g icing sugar
2 tbsp lemon juice, freshly squeezed
Sprinkles (optional)
TOOLS YOU WILL NEED
kitchen scale
stand or hand mixer with a big bowl
rolling pin
small cookie cutters
baking sheet
parchment paper
wire rack
brush
INSTRUCTIONS
In the big bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook attachment or a hand mixer add your ingredients for the cookie dough.
Knead the dough on low to medium speed using the machine, then finish kneading by hand until it becomes smooth.
Shape and flatten the dough into one or two discs and wrap it with some saran wrap.
Chill in the fridge for at least 30 minutes.
Remove the dough from fridge and preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C).
Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside.
Lightly flour your work surface and roll out the cookie dough with a rolling pin until it’s evenly 5-6 mm (around a ¼ inch) thin.
Cut out cookies with small cookie cutters and place the cookies on prepared baking sheets, leaving some space between the cookies.
Form a ball with all the leftover dough, roll out again, cut out more cookies and repeat until you used up all the dough.
Bake cookies in preheated oven for 10-12 minutes until the edges are golden brown. Every oven works differently, so keep a close eye on them and eventually rotate the baking sheet halfway in between to ensure even baking.
Allow cookies to cool down for 5 minutes before you transfer them to a wire rack to cool down completely.
For the lemon glaze add the icing sugar, your freshly squeezed lemon juice or water, and add some lemon zest (optional) to a small bowl.
Stir together until smooth and adjust if necessary, with more icing sugar or liquids for the desired consistency.
Use a brush, a spoon or a small spatula to spread some lemon glaze on each cookie and add sprinkles right away before it hardens.
Let your “Butterplätzchen” fully dry before you either enjoy them right away or store them in a cookie tin or container for several weeks!
BEST BUTTERPLÄTZCHEN RECIPE -GERMAN CHRISTMAS COOKIES
by Julia
“Butterplätzchen” translates to little butter Christmas cookies, a German classic made with only 5 ingredients. They are less sweet than sugar cookies and the high butter content gives them their typical irresistible melt in your mouth consistency. Enjoy them lightly golden brown and plain or decorated with a simple lemon glaze and colourful sprinkles!
PREP : 40 minutes WAIT : 30 minutes BAKE : 10-12 minutes
YIELD : 80-100 Butterplätzchen
INGREDIENTS
For the cookie dough:
500 g all- purpose flour
200 g granulated sugar
350 g unsalted butter
2 medium egg yolks
1 medium egg
3 tsp Vanilla sugar or 1 tsp Vanilla
extract
For the lemon glaze:
150 g icing sugar
2-3 tbsp lemon juice, freshly squeezed
Sprinkles (optional)
INSTRUCTIONS
In the big bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook attachment or a hand mixer add your ingredients for the cookie dough.
Knead the dough on low to medium speed using the machine, then finish kneading by hand until it becomes smooth.
Shape and flatten the dough into one or two discs and wrap it with some saran wrap.
Chill in the fridge for at least 30 minutes.
Remove the dough from fridge and preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C).
Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside.
Lightly flour your work surface and roll out the cookie dough with a rolling pin until it’s evenly 5-6 mm (around a ¼ inch) thin.
Cut out cookies with small cookie cutters and place the cookies on prepared baking sheets, leaving some space between the cookies.
Form a ball with all the leftover dough, roll out again, cut out more cookies and repeat until you used up all the dough.
Bake cookies in preheated oven for 10-12 minutes until the edges are golden brown. Every oven works differently, so keep a close eye on the cookies and eventually rotate baking sheet halfway in between to ensure even baking.
Allow cookies to cool down for 5 minutes before you transfer them to a wire rack to cool down completely.
For the lemon glaze sift icing sugar through a fine mesh strainer into your freshly squeezed lemon juice or water, add some lemon zest (optional) and stir until smooth. Adjust if necessary, with more icing sugar or liquids for desired consistency.
Use a brush, a spoon or a small spatula to spread some lemon glaze on each cookie and add sprinkles right away before it hardens.
Let your “Butterplätzchen” fully dry before you either enjoy them right away or store them in a cookie tin or container for several weeks!