Best Ever Vanilla Butter Cookies Recipes

BEST EVER BUTTER COOKIES

Steps:

• Combine 1 cup butter, sugar and egg in bowl. Beat at medium speed, scraping bowl often, until creamy. Add orange juice and 1 tablespoon vanilla. Continue beating, scraping bowl often, until well mixed. Add flour and baking powder; beat at low speed until well mixed.
• Divide dough into thirds. Shape each third into a ball; flatten slightly. Wrap each in plastic food wrap; refrigerate 2-3 hours or until firm.
• Heat oven to 400°F.
• Roll out dough, 1/3 at a time, on lightly floured surface (keeping remaining dough refrigerated), to 1/8- to 1/4-inch thickness. Cut with 3-inch cookie cutters. Place, 1 inch apart, onto ungreased cookie sheets.
• Bake 6-10 minutes or until edges are lightly browned. Let stand 1 minute on cookie sheet; remove to cooling rack. Cool completely.
• Combine powdered sugar, 1/3 cup butter and 1 teaspoon vanilla in bowl. Beat at low speed, scraping bowl often and gradually adding enough milk for desired spreading consistency. Tint with food color, if desired. Frost and decorate cooled cookies as desired.

VANILLA-BUTTER SUGAR COOKIES

Steps:

• Cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy, 5-7 minutes. Beat in eggs and vanilla. In another bowl, whisk flour, salt, baking soda and cream of tartar. Gradually beat into creamed mixture. Refrigerate, covered, for 30 minutes., Preheat oven to 350°. On a lightly floured surface, roll dough to 1/4-in. thickness. Cut with floured 2-1/2-in. cookie cutters. Place 1 in. apart on ungreased baking sheets. Bake 10-12 minutes. Cool on wire racks. , For frosting, beat confectioners' sugar, butter, vanilla and enough milk to reach desired consistency. If desired, add a few drops of food coloring. Cut a small hole in the tip of a pastry bag or in a corner of a food-safe plastic bag; transfer frosting to bag. Pipe decorations. Sprinkle with colored sugar. Freeze option: Freeze undecorated cookies, layered between waxed paper, in freezer containers. To use, thaw and decorate as desired.

VANILLA BUTTER COOKIES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F.
• Cream butter and sugar.
• Add egg, vanilla, and almond extract, if using, and beat well.
• Mix in flour.
• Drop by rounded teaspoonfuls onto parchment-lined cookie sheet and bake 10-12 minutes.

BEST EVER VANILLA BUTTER COOKIES

Steps:

• Combine 1 cup butter, sugar and egg in bowl. Beat at medium speed, until creamy. Add milk and 1 tablespoon vanilla. Continue beating, scraping bowl often, until well mixed. Add flour and baking powder; beat at low speed, scraping bowl often, until well mixed.
• Divide dough in thirds. Shape each third into a ball on plastic food wrap. Wrap in plastic food wrap; flatten to 1/2 inch. Refrigerate 2-3 hours or until firm.
• Heat oven to 400°F.
• Roll out dough on lightly floured surface, one-third at a time (keeping remaining dough refrigerated), to 1/8 to 1/4-inch thickness. Cut with cookie cutters. Place 1 inch apart on ungreased cookie sheets. Bake 6-10 minutes or until edges are lightly browned. Cool completely.
• Combine powdered sugar, water, 1 tablespoon butter, corn syrup and 1/2 teaspoon vanilla in bowl; mix until powdered sugar is moistened. Beat at medium speed until smooth, adding additional water if necessary, to reach desired glazing consistency. Tint with food color, if desired.
• Glaze cooled cookies. Add decorator candies, if desired. Let stand 6 hours or overnight until glaze is hardened.

THE BEST BUTTER COOKIES

Steps:

• Whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt in a medium bowl. Add the butter and granulated sugar to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. Beat on high speed for a full 2 minutes, scraping down the bowl halfway through the mixing; the butter should be very light and fluffy. Add the egg and vanilla and beat on medium speed until well combined. Add half the dry ingredients and beat on low speed to combine. Scrape down the mixing bowl before adding the remaining dry ingredients and beat to combine. Refrigerate for 1 hour in the bowl for drop cookies, or form into a 1-inch log for slice-and-bake cookies.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
• Place the turbinado sugar in a small bowl. For drop cookies, scoop the cookie dough with a 1 tablespoon-size cookie scoop and then dip the tops of the cookie dough balls into the sugar. Place onto the prepared baking sheet.
• For slice-and-bake cookies, cut the log into 1/2-inch-thick rounds. Press the tops into the sugar and place on the prepared baking sheet.
• Bake the cookies until slightly puffed and lightly golden on the bottom, about 15 minutes.

BEST BUTTER COOKIES

Steps:

• In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs and vanilla. Combine the flour, baking powder and salt; gradually add to creamed mixture and mix well. , Divide dough into four 1-1/2 cup portions; mix and shape for each variety as follows. Yield: 4 portions (1-1/2 cups each)., To prepare Cutouts: Using one portion dough, divide into two balls; roll each ball directly on an ungreased baking sheet to 1/8-in. thickness. Cut with a floured cookie cutter, leaving at least 1 in. between cookies. Remove excess dough and reroll scraps if desired. Decorate with sprinkles, jimmies or colored sugar if desired. Bake at 375° for 6-7 minutes or until edges begin to brown. Cool for 1 minute before removing from pans to wire racks. Yield: 2 dozen., To prepare Peppermint Balls: In a large bowl, combine one portion dough, peppermint candies and peppermint extract. Shape into 1-in. balls; place 2 in. apart on ungreased baking sheets. Sprinkle with red colored sugar if desired. Bake at 375° for 10-12 minutes or until set. Cool for 1 minute before removing from pans to wire racks. Yield: 2 dozen., To prepare Spicy Fruit Balls: In a large bowl, combine one portion dough, currants, fruit and cinnamon. Shape into 1-in. balls; place 2 in. apart on ungreased baking sheets. Bake at 375° for 10-12 minutes or until set. Cool for 1 minute then roll in confectioners' sugar if desired. Cool on wire racks. Yield: 2 dozen., To prepare Chocolate Slices: In a microwave, melt chocolate; stir until smooth. In a small bowl, mix melted chocolate into one portion cookie dough. Shape into a 1-1/2-in.-thick log; roll in nuts. Wrap in plastic and refrigerate for 4 hours or until firm. Unwrap and cut into 1/8-in. slices. Place 2 in. apart on ungreased baking sheets. Bake at 375° for 8-10 minutes or until set. Cool for 1 minute before removing from pans to wire racks.

BEST EVER BUTTER SUGAR COOKIES

Steps:

• Combine butter, sugar, and egg in large mixer bowl. Beat at medium speed until creamy. Reduce speed to low; add flour, orange juice, vanilla, and baking powder. Beat until well mixed. Divide dough into thirds. Wrap in plastic wrap and shape into disks. Refrigerate until firm (about 2-3 hours).
• Heat oven to 400 degrees. On lightly floured surface roll out dough, 1/3 at a time (keeping remaining dough refrigerated). Roll to 1/4 inch thickness. Cut with cookie cutters. Place 1 inch apart on ungreased cookie sheets. Sprinkle with decorative sugars if you don't plan on frosting them. Bake 6-10 minutes or until edges are very lightly browned. Cool completely.
• Frost or decorate as desired.
• Preparation time does not include time in refrigerator.