These Christmas Danish butter cookies taste just like the tin of cookies Grandma used to bring. They have a crisp, buttery texture and sparkling sugar sprinkles on top. This homemade version becomes a holiday staple you’ll reach for every season.
Today is day 5 of the “12 Days of Christmas Cookies” series on Modern Crumb.
This recipe was first published 12/09/2020.
If the title already makes you taste butter cookies in your mind, this recipe is for you.
Every December our family brings home the large blue tin of Danish butter cookies from Costco. It lasts all month because the container is huge and the cookies are irresistible.
It’s just the four of us, so we never manage to finish the whole tin.
There’s something old-fashioned and charming about these cookies—maybe it’s their simple flavor or the nostalgia of a tin on the counter.
Grandparents often had a tin like this around the holidays, and once the cookies were gone the tin would store sewing supplies or small trinkets.
I admit I do the same; a cookie tin makes a handy little storage box.
This recipe is ideal for a small batch—perfect for your household or as a special Christmas Eve treat. Maybe leave one out for Santa?
My kids usually leave Santa peanut butter blossoms. He never leaves a crumb behind!
Butter Cookie Ingredients
These cookies require only six ingredients:
- butter
- powdered sugar
- salt
- flour
- vanilla extract
- sugar sprinkles
You likely have everything on hand except the sparkling sugar. Wilton makes white sparkling sugar and many craft and baking stores carry it.
How To Make Christmas Butter Cookies
It took a lot of trial and error to recreate the tin-can classic, so this method focuses on texture and flavor to match that familiar cookie.
Begin by getting the dough right. Use butter that is slightly softened—not melted and not refrigerator cold. Cream the butter with sifted powdered sugar and the salt, then mix in the vanilla and the flour.
The dough should be smooth. If it becomes too soft or warm, chill it in the fridge for 10 minutes to firm up.
Scoop about 2 tablespoons of dough and roll it into a ball. Place each ball between two squares of parchment paper and press flat with the bottom of a 1-cup measuring cup until the cookie is about 1 1/2″ wide.
Dip one side into sparkling sugar, then place the cookies sugar-side up on a parchment-lined baking sheet.
Bake until the bottoms start to turn golden; the tops remain a pale, buttery color. These cookies are meant to be light in color.
Christmas Butter Cookies Tips and Tricks
Watch your oven temperature. If it runs too hot the cookies can melt and lose their shape. Baking other batches before these can raise the oven temperature unexpectedly.
An inexpensive oven thermometer that stays in the oven gives an accurate reading and can be a big help for consistent results.
Always sift dry ingredients to keep the cookies light. Use a measuring cup with a flat bottom (or a flat glass) to press the dough for the best flat surface.
Two pieces of parchment paper are essential; otherwise the dough will stick. In my experience, Reynolds parchment paper performs best—some brands can cause more spreading.
FAQ
- If I don’t have sparkling sugar, what can I use? For the classic look and slight crunch of the tin-cookies, pick up some sparkling sugar. If you don’t have it, you can leave the topping off—the cookies will still be delicious.
- My cookies flattened, what happened? Common causes of flat cookies are an oven that’s too hot, dough that is too warm, or not enough flour. Try adding a tablespoon more flour and chilling the dough 10–20 minutes before baking.
- Salted or unsalted butter? The recipe uses salted butter; it adds a nice balance to the sweetness.
12 Days of Christmas Cookies Recipes
- Christmas Peanut Butter Blossoms
- The Best Pecan Sandies Cookies
- Double Chocolate Peppermint Bark Cookies
- Brown Sugar Walnut Rugelach Cookies
- Christmas Peanut Butter Cookie Bars
- Raspberry Jam Thumbprints
- Christmas Monster Cookies
- Triple Chocolate Hot Cocoa Cookie Bars
- Cream Cheese Jam Pinwheel Cookies
- Christmas Snickerdoodles Cookies
- Cranberry Cheesecake White Chocolate Cookies
Christmas Butter Cookies
15 minutes
20 minutes
35 minutes
These Christmas Danish butter cookies taste just like the tin can cookies of childhood, with a crisp buttery texture and sparkling sugar on top. They’re a homemade holiday favorite.
Ingredients
- 1 c butter, softened
- 1 c powdered sugar, sifted
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- ½ tsp kosher salt
- 1 ¾ c flour, sifted
- Sparkling sugar sprinkles
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 325°F.
- Cream together the butter and powdered sugar for 2 minutes.
- Scrape down the bowl and mix in the vanilla extract.
- Stir in the salt.
- Add the flour all at once and mix until combined.
- Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Fill a shallow bowl with sparkling sugar sprinkles.
- Using a 2 tbsp cookie scoop, scoop out dough and roll into balls.
- Place a dough ball between two pieces of parchment paper and press with a measuring cup to 1 ½” wide.
- Dip one side into sparkling sugar.
- Place cookies sugar side up on the parchment-lined sheet.
- Chill in the fridge 10 minutes before baking.
- Bake 15–20 minutes or until the bottoms begin to turn golden; the tops will stay pale.
- Transfer to a wire cooling rack.
- For best flavor and texture, serve 24 hours after baking.
Notes
- Reynolds parchment paper tends to work best; some brands cause more spreading.
- If your oven runs hot, open it briefly or lower the temperature. An oven thermometer helps maintain accuracy. You may need to bake at 300°F if the oven feels too warm.
- See the FAQ and Tips and Tricks sections above for more troubleshooting.
- The cookies taste best about 24 hours after baking.
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