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These melt-in-your-mouth holiday butter cookies bring back the warmest memories! I first learned to make them with my mother when I was young, and now they've become a must-have in my home during the festive season. What's great? No need to wait for dough chilling – just mix, pipe and bake! After they're coated in chocolate and topped with colorful sprinkles, they'll look like something from an expensive bakery.
Why You'll Love These
These treats come together in no time! Only six basic ingredients plus chocolate and sprinkles for the finishing touch. I'm thrilled there's no waiting time – when you get the urge to bake, you can enjoy warm cookies minutes later. They're just right for unexpected gift needs or baking with the little ones.
Gather What You Need
- Quality Butter: Try to find European-style if possible for that extra richness.
- Cake Flour: Gives you incredibly soft results, though all-purpose works in a pinch.
- Eggs: No need to bring to room temp first, they'll warm up during mixing.
- True Vanilla: Using extract from real vanilla beans makes all the difference.
- Sugar and Salt: Just regular granulated sugar and a tiny bit of salt for flavor balance.
- Decorations: Easy-melting chocolate and festive holiday sprinkles.
Let's Get Baking
- Prepare Your Workspace
- Start by heating your oven to 375°F, put parchment on your cookie sheets, and let your butter soften. Get your mixer and piping equipment nearby so everything's handy.
- Create Your Base
- Beat the butter, sugar and salt until it becomes fluffy and light, for around 3 minutes. This step matters – it's what gives these cookies their amazing texture! Then add the egg and vanilla, mixing until just combined.
- Add The Dry Stuff
- Sift cake flour directly onto your butter mixture. Stir gently until everything comes together. You want soft dough that doesn't stick to your fingers – think of how modeling clay feels. Mixing too much will make your cookies tough!
- Shape Your Cookies
- Now for the exciting part! Load your piping bag with the star tip attached – nothing fancy needed, a simple star works great. Pipe whatever patterns make you happy onto your prepared trays. Try to keep them roughly the same size for even baking.
- Bake To Perfection
- Slide them into the oven and let them work their magic! Around ten minutes usually does it – look for slight golden edges. Let them cool on the tray for a bit before moving them.
- Add The Finishing Touch
- When completely cooled, melt your chocolate slowly and carefully. Dunk each cookie halfway, give a gentle tap to smooth the coating, then quickly add sprinkles before the chocolate hardens.
Pro Secrets
I've figured out all the little tricks after making these countless times! Your butter should be at that sweet spot – firm enough to hold shape but soft enough to leave a fingerprint. Try to work in a cool room since warm dough gets messy fast. If your piping bag feels too warm, stick it in the fridge briefly. And here's my trick: add a tiny bit of salt to your melted chocolate to enhance the flavor!
While dipping, keep paper towels close by to wipe excess chocolate from the cookie bottoms – nobody wants chocolate puddles on their serving plate. Setting up a dipping station with all your decorating supplies in order makes everything run smoothly.
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Answering Your Questions
Curious about keeping these treats fresh? They'll stay tasty for up to a week in a sealed container if you put wax paper between layers. Want to prep ahead? The undecorated cookies freeze wonderfully for up to three months – just do the chocolate coating after thawing. And yes, any chocolate type works great – dark, milk, or white!
Gift From The Heart
These treats make wonderful presents! I pack them in festive tins with tissue paper separating each layer. Tie on a ribbon and add a personal note for a gift that'll brighten anyone's day. They're ideal for cookie swaps, presents for teachers, or treating your neighbors. Homemade cookies carry something special – they truly say "I was thinking of you" in the most heartfelt way.
Frequently Asked Questions
- → How does cake flour help?
Cookies made with cake flour turn out soft and have a finer crumb because it has less gluten compared to regular flour.
- → Why's my dough tough to pipe?
If your dough feels too firm, let it warm up a little using your hands or mix in a small splash of milk. Starting with soft butter is key.
- → Is freezing these cookies possible?
Sure, just make sure to freeze the cookies before decorating them. Chocolate can be added after they've thawed.
- → What makes these good for gifting?
Once they cool, they’re strong enough to handle packaging without breaking. Just double-check that the chocolate is solidified first.
- → Why choose European butter?
European butter has a richer flavor and better consistency because it contains more fat and less water compared to the regular kind.