Danish butter cookies

Light-colored Danish butter cookies shaped like wreaths, tied with red and white striped ribbons.

This simple recipe for Danish butter cookies showcases a joyful treat for any cookie swap or Christmas party. You can even shape and decorate them as Christmas wreaths! Add a ribbon to each for a cute edible gift.

Yield: 6 dozen cookies

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Ingredients

4 cups flour
1½ cups (3 sticks) plus 2 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into tablespoons
1 vanilla bean
⅔ cup sugar
1 large egg
1 Tbsp. milk
3 oz. almond paste
Small silver dragées

Directions

  1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
  2. In a large bowl, with an electric mixer, combine the flour and butter and mix until coarse crumbs form.
  3. Split open the vanilla pod and, with the tip of a knife, scrape the vanilla seeds into the bowl. Add the sugar, egg, milk and almond paste. Beat until a firm dough is formed. Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour or overnight. Let the dough return to room temperature before piping the cookies.
  4. Spoon the dough into a pastry bag fitted with a ½-inch star tip. Pipe a length of dough 4 inches long. Transfer to the baking sheet and form into a circle, gently pinching the ends together. Place the circles about 1 inch apart. Sprinkle with the dragées. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes, until firm and just golden around the edges.
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