I feel like I haven’t written a blog post in AGES, even though it’s only been a week… and I’m afraid to tell you that I’ve come back on a bit of Christmassy high. Yes, I am one of those people who get excited about Christmas months in advance, I’m sorry. I’ve been obsessively pinning Christmas recipes on pinterest and was inspired to create my own Christmas cookies! Last week, I got sent a lovely tin of Christmas Danish butter cookies for my foodie penpal parcel. They were so lovely, in fact, that I ate the entire tin to myself in a rather embarrassingly short space of time. So I have made some “replacement cookies” to fill the tin back up! *whispers* No one will ever know…
And to make these cookies, I bought myself an early Christmas present – a cookie press
Of course, you don’t need a cookie press to make great cookies from this recipe. You can either shape them into mounds or use an icing bag with a star shaped nozzle to create a wreath shape.
If you decide to make these using a cookie press, you will end up with about 80 small cookies! (But they won’t last long, trust me.) If you’d like to make a more standard sized cookie (using about 1 tbsp batter) I think you will end up roughly 30. To store the cookies, they will keep for about a week in an air-tight container. I like to put mine in cupcake cases for easy storage (and because it looks pretty!)
- 200g unsalted butter, softened
- 130g icing sugar
- 310g plain flour
- 1 large free range egg
- 2 tsp vanilla bean paste
- 1 tbsp milk (if needed)
- 2 tbsp granulated sugar, for decoration
- Preheat oven to 180c (fan 160c.) Line a baking sheet with greaseproof paper.
- Mix together the butter and icing sugar to create a soft buttercream.
- Add the rest of the ingredients, minus the milk, and combine well. If the mixture is too dry, add the 1 tbsp of milk or more until a soft but firm batter is formed.
- Create the cookie shapes either using a cookie press, piping bag or simply dropping a tsp of batter onto the sheet.
- Bake for 10-15 minutes, regularly checking to make sure they are baking evenly. Turn your baking sheet around to face the other way half way through, if necessary.
- Let cool for 10 minutes on a cooling rack then sprinkle with sugar. Enjoy!
So who else is excited for Christmas already??
Blog love:
- Natasha’s Double Chocolate Crackle Cookies sound SO GOOD and look amazing too.
- Helen’s Mary Berry-inspired Spiced Grapefruit Cake with Lemon & Ginger Cream Cheese Frosting – a perfect looking cake with great sounding flavours.
- Holly’s Vegetarian Shepherd’s Pie with Lentils and Sweet Potatoes – I want this for dinner.
Instead of the egg can I use cornstarch with water. If so, how much should I use? Thanks. (:
Hi Shivanshu :-) I actually have an egg free recipe (it’s also dairy free / vegan) for danish butter cookies: http://wallflowerkitchen.com/vegan-danish-butter-cookies/ but if you prefer to use the butter recipe, just use 1 tbsp cornstarch with 2 tbsp water. Let me know if you try them!
These are perfect in every way, the look the proportions of the ingredients and I bet the smell and taste too. A must try for my family. Thanks for the recipe.
Hi dear,
This is a wonderful recipe. I made it today and my mum and dad are so impressed with me. Thank you for sharing!!!
Love! Do you think these would work with gluten free flour just as well? I need these!
those cookies were delicious! tnx for the recipe! I had a difficulty with the cookie press. The cookie wouldnt stick on the baking sheet, so I pressed them directly on the tray, and also I left the batter into the fridge for a while (Greek summer is not batter friendly!)
Glad you liked them! Whenever I have trouble with the batter sticking, I find it’s usually because the baking sheet is usually too hot or cold but of course the temperature in the air can cause this too. If it’s too warm next time, try putting the baking tray in the fridge for a few minutes. Hope that helps :-)
First time on your blog and all I can say is mesmerising!!
OMG these are even better than the blue tin ones ! I have made 4 batches ever since I discovered your recipe 2 weeks ago.
Thank you for sharing this amazing recipe!
Great, so glad you enjoyed them! Reminds me… I need to make some more :-)
Hi Aimee! Look at what you made!!! They are so pretty, and very tasty. I love the pics. All amazing! Thanks for the recipe, I will try it soon to see how it works with my 5 years old cookie press. I’ve never succeeded in shaping the cookie with that, and usually ended up by adding some more flour and rolling and cutting with cookie cutters.
Haha, thank you Thuan! I want to make a post about your amazing Christmas decorations. I have some origami paper here and will be making some when I’m bake from Ireland next week. I look forward to hearing how your cookies turn out, and planning our “xmas party!” See you next week :-)
I tried to make Danish butter cookies yesterday, but failed with the cookies press. The first several cookies were ok although not very nice as yours. I thought maybe it was dry (as it was not large egg as in the recipe, just 54gr) I added some milk, and when I pressed, petal of flower was not stick together. Then I added some flour, the same result. I ended up by using rolling pin and cookies cutters. Have you got any experience about this problem.
I gave my kids some cookies and they said it was very yummy. My little one was not very well and did not eat anything yesterday but he ate the cookies. Thanks for good recipe. I will have another try, definitely.
Hope you have nice trip and look forward to your Xmas deco. See u on Wed then!
Oh no! The only thing I can think of that might be wrong is the surface you are pressing them onto. I use a baking tray with greaseproof paper but you have to make sure the tray is completely room temperate (if it’s too hot or cold, it won’t adhere properly) or maybe your cookie press is just a bit temperamental :/ Anyway, I will talk to you more about it on Wed. See you then! :-)
My grandma came from Denmark and had these cookies available at all times! For any other time of year they were
made in the ‘wreath’ shape – at Christmas she used the tree form, made the wreath and also made long thin strips using the form that was flat on the bottom and had wavy lines on top. I have her old cookie press and have found several others in thrift stores or antique stores. Once you get the hang of using it – there is nothing to it. Wouldn’t be Christmas without these cookies!
Are they the ones that look like big syringes? I love old fashioned kitchen gadgets! And I agree, these are simply a must for Christmas – such a nostalgic and comforting taste :-)
I eat Danish cookies growing up. I would grab the whole tin and eat half of the cookies. They are so buttery good. I love that you made them into christmas tree shapes. So cute!
Thanks! They are very addictive, just as well they are quite small!
ha easily done with those little buttery drops of heaven! I used to love the danish butter biscuits but can no longer eat them due to the gluten, have you ever made gluten free ones? Yours look lovely, so pretty!
Thanks Tamzin, that sounds like a challenge! I’ve not tried making them gluten-free but I don’t see why they would be any less delicious, I will test them out with gluten-free flour next time :-)
Ooooo I will be keeping my eye out for that I will be sure to try it!!!
Haha, is that allowed? Giving yourself an early christmas present? ;) They do look totally cute though: you did some perfect wrapping and storing too! I feel like christmas just by looking at this post.. does all this christmas feel mean you’ve started decorating the house already?
I’ve not gone quite that far… yet! But I would quite happily have a Christmas decorated house right now. And buying an early Christmas present is perhaps a little greedy but – I couldn’t help it!!
I love Danish butter cookies, I remember eating them as a child. Such sweet memories…
I have great memories of them too :-)
aimeeee! i feel like you haven’t written a blog post in so long as well! isn’t it so bizarre how quickly time seems to pass in the blogosphere? absolutely delighted you’ve returned in the festive spirit – i’m excited to see what else you make with your fancy new gadget! these look delicious, as always!
the hobbit kitchen x
It is, I was thinking it had been ages and I’d “neglected” my blog so I was surprised to see it had only been a week! It’s going to be hard not to make all my recipes cookies I’ve made with the cookie press, because that’s honestly all I want to make now haha
That is the perfect early Christmas present for yourself. This is a good idea, these cookies are so cute!
It makes me feel like a kid with a new toy, honestly – so much fun!
I’m all ready for Christmas, I made my Christmas cake last weekend and am onto mince pies tomorrow :) I love it! Your cookies look very pretty, lovely photo’s Aimee.
Thanks Laura :-) I’m just drooling over your Christmas cake at the moment… can’t wait to the mince pies (I must start making mine too)
Thanks :) I adore Christmas cake, I might make another one, not for me though lol. I made the mince pies today and ate three fresh from the oven. So good!
These look wonderful – I have a very similar looking ‘biscuit gun’ (as I call it) and this recipe looks great (the photos too are gorgeous!). I’m putting this to one side, so as soon as my christmas leave starts I can make a batch (or two!). Thanks for sharing!
Thank you Lindsey! I like the name ‘biscuit gun’ – sounds badass, almost… :-)
I am just like you Aimee. Christmas (and holidays in general) very exciting. These cookies are looking amazing. I am so going to make them for Christmas.
Loving it!
Cheers my friend!
:)
^.^ Thanks Aysegul!
Aimee, just wondering if you know the US conversion for your recipe? Is icing sugar powder sugar? They look so yummy and I would love to try them. Christmas cookies are a long standing tradition in my family, and we try a least one new cookie a year to see if it becomes part of our Christmas tradition.
Hi Lori! Yes, powdered sugar is the same as icing sugar. I’m in the middle of working on a conversion page but I have added a ingredient conversion tool to my sidebar in the mean time (I’ve tested it and it seems to be accurate) So 200g butter = 7oz, 130g powdered sugar = 1 cup or 4.6oz, 310g flour = 2 1/4 cups or 10.9oz. Hope that helps and I love your idea of trying a new Christmas cookie every year. Let me know how you get on with it if you try it out :-)
Oh. I so need to get a cookie press! Your cookies are darling and I love the pictures. Pinning!
Thank you Christin! Yes, you so have to get one – they are soooo much fun!
ME! I’m excited for Christmas already!
I LOVE Danish butter cookies! I’m so impressed you’ve made your own version. They look like they just melt as you eat them, delicious. Also, ashamed to admit I did not know there was such a thing as a cookie press but oh how exciting it looks!
I also love your Christmas board on pinterest! I’m going to go and follow it now. I’m quite new to the website and I’m not sure I fully understand it yet but I’m learning!
And thank you so much for linking to my crackle cookies! So kind of you and I’m glad you like them. :)
Well, once you get pinning, you won’t be able to stop! At least, that’s been the case for me… And you’re very welcome, your cookies look wonderful – I hope to try them myself sometime :-)
These are so so pretty, and perfect for my Christmas cookie tray! I’ve already started with holiday baking and you bet these are going on my list!
Gorgeous pics, I love them :)
Thanks Consuelo :-)
These look amazing! They look a lot like the cookies I made in my baking class yesterday called Spritz cookies. The ingredients are pretty similar too. And they tasted awesome so I’m sure these do too! Have a wonderful weekend :)
Thanks Davida! I based mine on a Danish butter cookie recipe but I reckon they would taste pretty much the same as the Spritz cookies, judging from the ingredients (I can’t tell the difference between the two…) Anyway, I hope you too have a wonderful weekend :-)
Love the idea of re-filling the tin! These look so good can definitely imagine getting through a load of these with a nice mug of chai tea. Never heard of a cookie press before but these look so professional. There are going to be a few kitchen items on my christmas list for sure :)
I think I might have to keep re-filling that tin and never let it go empty… I love the professional look the cookie press gives but I’ve seen ones made with icing bags that are pretty professional too (like this: http://www.basicbakes.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/pipingoutbiscuits.jpg) but I don’t always have much luck with icing bags!
Growing up, I loved the Danish butter cookies that came in a tin! I used to beg my mom to buy them. Your homemade version looks even better. I can’t wait to start Christmas baking – you have inspired me!!
Glad to hear it! I love how many people have mentioned the nostalgic side of these cookies, they are the same for me too – such a comforting taste, especially around this time of year :-)
Awww Aimee these are adorable! Glad to see someone else getting into the Christmas spirit. I’ve been holding out for a few weeks trying to resist the urge to post Christmas things but I’m running out of will power, especially sice seeing these. So cute and bet they taste amazing. So jealous of your cookie press!
Oooh good! I look forward to seeing what Christmassy things you make! I found my cookie press for about £13 (I think?) in my local Sainsburys, so keep an eye out ;-)
I’m totally pinning this myself! Danish cookies in their classic round blue tin have a very special place in my heart. I grew up eating them in Hong Kong. I used to love looking through the tin and figuring out which shape I wanted first. : ) I have been really tempted to buy a cookie press for years but always hear horror stories about how hard some are to use. This is on my to-do list for Christmas (it’s never too early for Christmas for me, either!).
Glad to hear it’s not just me, Monica! I think thats what was putting me off too but then I saw one on offer in my local supermarket and decided to go for it. So far so good… Although, it is a little temperamental, for instance: the cookie won’t come out if the surface is too hot or too cold and the sheet has to be completely dry (not non-stick) so it can adhere properly. But it seems sturdy and is easy to clean so once you know how to use it, it’s perfect! I would totally recommend one, especially to use with kids :-)