Vanilla Bean Danish Butter Cookies

4.71 from 104 votes
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Homemade Danish butter cookies recipe that makes delicious edible gifts! This holiday season, fill your own tin of cookies with different unique piped designs.

Vanilla bean Danish butter cookies in a decorative tin.

Do you remember those shiny round blue tins filled with sweet golden brown treats that always show up around the holidays? My grandparents always used to get them as gifts from their friends, and they would sit on their coffee table waiting for all of the grandchildren to devour them.

My favorite was the pretzel-shaped cookies with crunchy sugar on top that would melt in your mouth. I couldn’t stop eating them! Now that I’m a BIG kid, I thought it was time to make these vanilla Danish butter cookies as a homemade treat for my friends and family. They make cute edible gifts.

Homemade danish cookies in white cupcake wrappers inside a cookie tin.

The danish butter cookie dough combines six simple ingredients; softened butter, granulated sugar, all-purpose flour, vanilla bean, egg, and salt. The butter and sugar are mixed in a stand mixer using the paddle attachment until light and fluffy. This traps air, adding texture to the cookie. The salt, vanilla, and eggs are added in for richness and flavor. Gradually stir in the flour until hydrated. Do not overmix, or it will be difficult to pipe!

These cookies are crisp with an aromatic vanilla flavor from real vanilla beans. If you don’t have access to vanilla beans, paste or extract can be used. If you use vanilla extract, you won’t get the speckled appearance.

Top down view of danish butter cookies spread across a marble surface.

Pipe the dough

I use a piping bag and 1/2-inch round and star piping tip (Ateco 806 for round and 824 for star tips) to create the fluted pretzel, wreaths, and circle-shaped cookies. You can also place the dough in a resealable plastic bag, cut off a 1/2-inch tip and create the wreath-shaped cookies by making conjoined circles, shown below.

Pipe them onto a parchment paper lined baking sheet, about 2 inches in size. I sprinkle the tops of these cookies with sparkling coarse sugar, but you can also use granulated sugar.

Vanilla Danish butter cookies in a red and white stripped tin.

Baking time

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees, then bake one tray at a time. They are ready when the surface looks dry, and the bottoms are lightly golden brown in color, about 11 to 13 minutes. Let them sit on the warm pan for about 3 minutes, then transfer them to a wire rack to cool. The butter will firm up when it gets to room temperature, which makes the cookies crisper.

Several butter cookies with wreath designs.

Aren’t these adorable cookies when filled in white paper cups and packed into festive tins? I found these Christmas-decorated tins at the 99-cent store. They had a lot of sizes, shapes, and color options for a great price.

Vanilla Danish butter cookies are perfect for dipping in tea or coffee, as they are very sturdy. If you’re like me and prefer to make personalized DIY gifts for the special people in your life, you can have fun creating your own cookie tin. I like to add a variety of treats like Milano cookies too. Happy baking!

Cookies you might also like

Close of vanilla bean spots on a danish butter cookie.

Recipe Science

Shaping with no piping bag or tips

Medium to large resealable plastic bag works well. You can cut the corner off the side of the bag to the desired thickness, about ¼ to ½ inch. Use your imagination to create different shapes and designs. The dough is pretty stiff and does not spread much during baking. For designs that are meant to have a hole in the center, like the wreaths, make the center gap big enough, so it doesn’t close completely after baking.

Vanilla Bean Danish Butter Cookies

Homemade Danish butter cookies are the perfect treat to share and give as edible gifts! Make your own tin with different unique piped designs.
4.71 from 104 votes
Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time20 minutes
Total Time30 minutes
Servings 36 cookies
Course Dessert
Cuisine Danish

Ingredients 
 

  • 1 cup unsalted butter, softened to 60 to 65°F (16 to 18°C)
  • ½ cup granulated sugar
  • ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
  • ½ vanilla bean, seeds scraped
  • 1 large egg
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour, measured then sifted

Instructions 

  • Preheat the Oven – Position the rack in the center of the oven. Preheat to 350°F (177ºC). Line two large sheet trays with parchment paper and set aside.
  • Make the Dough – Using the paddle attachment on a stand mixer, cream the butter and sugar on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 1 minute. Add salt, vanilla, and egg. Mix on medium speed until combined, about 1 minute.
    Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed. Gradually add the flour to the bowl, mixing on low speed for about 1 minute.
  • Pipe the Cookies – Scrape the dough into a piping bag fitted with a 1⁄2" star tip or desired tip. Pipe 1 ½ to 2" pretzel or wreath shapes onto the parchment paper-lined sheet trays, at least 2" apart.
    If desired, sprinkle the tops of the cookies with granulated sugar or large coarse sparkling sugar.
  • Bake – Bake one tray at a time. Bake until cookies are lightly golden on the bottom, about 11 to 13 minutes.
  • Let Them Cool – Leave the cookies on the baking sheet for 3 minutes, then transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely.

Notes

  • Use Softened Butter: The butter should be cool and give some resistance when poked.
  • Flour Selection: Gold Medal all-purpose flour was used in this recipe.
  • Vanilla Bean Substitution: Use 1 ½ teaspoon vanilla extract or paste
  • Work Quickly: The longer you let the dough sit in the piping bag, the thicker it becomes. Try to pipe right after making the dough if possible.
  • If Too Thick to Pipe: Shortbread cookie dough tends to be thicker than other piping dough. If needed, add 1 to 3 teaspoons of milk, 1 teaspoon at a time, and combine until just mixed.
  • If too Soft to Pipe: If the dough is too soft and does not hold its shape, gradually add 1 tablespoon (9 g) of all-purpose flour at a time, adding more as needed up to ¼ cup (36 g). The dough typically gets thicker as it sits as the proteins absorb the moisture, so try to wait a few minutes between adding additional flour.
  • Storing: Store in an airtight container for up to 5 days, or freeze for up to 3 months.

Nutrition Facts

Serves: 36 cookies
Calories 55kcal (3%)Carbohydrates 7g (2%)Protein 1g (2%)Fat 3g (5%)Saturated Fat 2g (10%)Polyunsaturated Fat 0.02gMonounsaturated Fat 0.1gCholesterol 12mg (4%)Sodium 15mg (1%)Potassium 6mgFiber 0.2g (1%)Sugar 3g (3%)Vitamin A 100IU (2%)Calcium 1mgIron 0.2mg (1%)

Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000-calorie diet. All nutritional information is based on estimated third-party calculations. Each recipe and nutritional value will vary depending on the brands you use, measuring methods, and portion sizes per household.

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Jessica Gavin

I'm a culinary school graduate, cookbook author, and a mom who loves croissants! My passion is creating recipes and sharing the science behind cooking to help you gain confidence in the kitchen.

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85 Comments Leave a comment or review

    • Jessica Gavin says

      How was the texture of the dough when it was piped? How soft was the butter? Have you checked the temperature of the oven to make sure it’s accurate? How did you measure the flour? I use a dip and then sweep the excess off the top method. Just seeing where we might be able to troubleshoot.

  1. Patti Sheppard says

    This recipe is great! I’m wondering if almond paste could be added to make this a more “old school” danish cookie recipe. If so, how much would I add? Would it change the quantity of butter I used? Thanks so much for your help!

  2. Maire says

    Hi! I want to try out some of your recipes like this one but I don’t have any kitchen aids except for grandma’s hand mixer… do the recipies still work if j simply mix the dough together or would you recommend something else?

    • Jessica Gavin says

      I think you should definitely try to hand mixer, you might just have to adjust mixing time. Keep a close eye on the texture of the dough as it mixes to know when to stop mixing.

  3. Mariam says

    Thank you for the recipe, I have one question – you don’t use baking soda as I see, right? Is it still nice without baking soda? In few recipes I saw that baking soda is also listed, actually I did it once with baking soda and they grew in size and became more fluffy but still very tasty and without soda, they are more crispy and thin.

    • Jessica Gavin says

      Hi Mariam- Baking soda tends to make baked goods spread more and be crispier. I love to be able to hold the piping shape of the cookies, so I keep the baking soda out.

  4. Crystal says

    If some of these people cannot find measurement converters on the internet, they probably shouldn’t be in contact with a stove or kitchen utensils. Unbelievable.

  5. Esther Olabiyi says

    Pls. I am from Nigeria and the measurement in grams I used would give me a soft batter .pls can u help me out.
    Thanks in anticipation.

    • Jessica Gavin says

      Hi Esther, thank you for contacting me! I recently tested the recipe using the indicated weights and the dough should be pipeable and hold its shape. What did it look like? How soft was the butter? Was it very soft, almost melted? I usually use butter that is between 16 to 18°C, soft but still cool. Also, you can add more flour if needed to absorb the fat, I would add 9 grams at a time until it feels easy to pipe.

  6. Nursel says

    I did exactly what is written and result was delicious. I didn’t have the piping bag and rolled and cutout them. After all baked put a dollop of cherry jam on them. Yummy. My husband eat the half of the tray in no time. Thanks for the recipy. 5 out of 5 stars. Will bake them more often from now on. Best cookie recipe ever.

    • Jessica Gavin says

      Hi Swathi- Great question! The egg serves to add emulsifiers in egg yolks help combine wet and fat ingredients so the dough stays smooth and does not separate, adds richness, color, and crispness. It’s hard to find a perfect match, but for a sugar type cookie you could try using an egg replacer like Ener-G, it contains potato starch, tapioca flour, leavening agents and cellulose to mimic the texture that eggs provide. They recommend 1 egg = 1 1/2 tsp dry Egg Replacer plus 2 tbsp water. Bob’s redmill also sells a vegan egg replacer made with Potato Starch, Tapioca Flour, Baking Soda, Psyllium Husk Fiber (1 tbsp egg replacer with 2 tbsp water for 1 egg). Let me know how it turns out!

  7. Yulia says

    My dough turns pretty stiff – can’t pipe it… so just rolled into a log and cut into slices. Any ideas ? I want to pipe it 🙂

    • Jessica Gavin says

      Hi Yulia! Do you happen to have a scale to measure the flour? Sometimes the way the flour is measured into the cups can add more flour, creating a thicker batter. Also, what tip did you use? This is a thick batter, so sometimes I’ll just add it to a large resealble plastic bag, cut a large tip for piping. Also warming the dough in the bag between your hands can help make the dough easier to pipe.

  8. Diane Carmody says

    I found this mixture very thick and therefore difficult – almost impossible – to pipe. Is it normally that way? Decided to roll into balls and press down almost flat with a fork. Tasted lovely though.

    Di C.

    • Jessica Gavin says

      Hi Diane! Thank you for the comment 🙂 Sometime’s I find it to be pretty thing too so once I place the dough in the bag, I warm it in my hands on the outside until it get more pipeable. Love the improvisation!

  9. Cris D says

    I was a bit confused. Where you wrote 2 1/4 cups of flour you added 10 ounces in parentheses. Isn’t 2 1/4 cups 18 ounces?

    • Jessica Gavin says

      Great question Cris! Yes 2 1/4 cup is usually 18 ounces when looking at typical weight conversion (liquid or solid foods). However since the density of flour is lower than say water, than the weight of 2 1/4 cup of flour will weigh less even though it fills the same volume. Typically 1 cup of all-purpose flour equals 4 1/4 ounces. That gives about 9.5 ounces, rounded up to 10 ounces. If you have a food scale that will be the most accurate to use for baking. I hope that helps!

  10. Chin Wei says

    Hi Jessica, found this recipe and would like to try. Can we substitute the all purpose flour with plain flour? Will it yield the same result? Thanks

  11. Fong says

    Thank you so much Jessica for sharing this recipe! I baked these a couple of days ago but replaced regular flour with a gluten free flour mix for my celiac husband who craved the traditional Danish butter cookies he can no longer have. They took much longer to bake, might’ve added 10 mins, but they turned out so tasty! They were soft fresh out of the oven but after a couple of days in the fridge, are crispier now. No spreading issues and they were easy to pipe. No problems here. I warmed my small block of unsalted butter in the microwave so it was soft but still in a solid state, with a dot melted in the middle. I didn’t sift the flour either. I was also too lazy to clean a blender so only hand blended by my 7 year old son. We loved them and I had to really resist not eating them all. I’ll definitely be baking them again!

  12. isil says

    I have baked them yesterday and I have to say they taste very great. Also no problem piping them. My friends and family will enjoy them. Thanks a lot!

    • Jessica Gavin says

      Thank you for your feedback Isil! I’m so happy to hear that the cookies turned out well and you are sharing with your loved ones 🙂

  13. Kaitlin says

    Do these cookies freeze well? I’m baking a head of time for Christmas and have been freezing all my cookies and was hoping these will freeze nicely also. Thank you!

    • Jessica Gavin says

      Hi Kaitlin! Yes I think you could freeze these cookies. Here are a few tips:
      1.Freeze individually after they’ve cooled completely (freeze in layers separated by parchment, wax, or freezer paper).
      2. Store in airtight containers or bags.
      3. When thawing baked cookies take them out of the containers and let sit at room temperature so that condensation doesn’t form and make them soggy.

      Let me know how it turns out!

  14. Andrea says

    I had the same experience as others – the dough was more like a shortbread. Still delicious but not for using a cookie press. I re-read the recipe again. You included milk in the narrative description but not the recipe itself. Please clarify. Thanks!

    • Jessica Gavin says

      Thank you for your feedback Andrea! I have updated the post, no milk just eggs. I typically use a piping bag because the dough is a little thicker.

      • Sana says

        I have enjoyed reading about one of my favorite cookies on your site. I can read and talk cookie all day. If I may, I would like to chime in about some of the concerns just a few people have been having about the dough. I am a professional pastry chef. Although not the same exact recipie I have been making and teaching a class on baking these cookies for years.
        There seems to be similar issues I have been asked about. (I actually came across your site while trying to show someone what the cookies look like).
        It seems that
        A few of the key rules I follow and tell my students to be on the look out for.
        1. Be sure to sift your flour before you measure it in a cup. If your using weight it does not matter, 10 ounces is 10 ounce sifted or not, but if you measure the wrong amount in a cup it can really weigh down you dough and make it stiff.
        2. Make sure your butter is not to soft. Butter that is to soft will not give you the volume you need when creaming and will cause your cookies to spread and flatten when baked.
        3. All eggs are not created equal. We can all have a large egg and end up with a different amount. I use the rule that one large egg is equal to two ounces. If I crack an egg and it’s only 1 ounce I know I don’t have enough and vice versa.
        It has also been my experience that using a scale for measuring is much more reliable and consistent than using measuring cups,and it’s pretty easy to convert a recipe form volume to weight.
        I hope someone may be able to find the information useful.

        • Jessica Gavin says

          It’s such a pleasure to meet you Sana! You are a rock star pastry chef! I will definitely try sifting, then measuring and see if that helps cut down on the flour taste. Great suggestions for butter consistency to reduce spread and weighing the eggs. I’m definitely a big fan of using my scale for baking. What are your thoughts on a slightly more crisp and crumbly cookie texture? I was thinking to add maybe a little more sugar but down’t want to have the spread issue. Would you mind sharing if your recipe is similar to this one? I’m curious about the texture that you get from you recipe. Let’s have more cookie chat! Fun times 🙂

        • Sana says

          I love my cookies to be crisp with almost a snap when you bite into them. I defanitly like them better the next day or next few days after they are baked. To get a more crisp cookie I use only egg whites instead of the whole egg. Egg yolks tend to make a more moist cookie (which is why I add extra yolks to my chocolate chip cookie, but that’s for another time.) Using just the egg whites also keeps them a very light golden brown with out the edges getting dark

          The recipient is:
          1# 4oz. Sweet unsalted butter
          Let me know if this works for you.
          12 oz. super fine granulated sugar
          4 oz. egg whites
          1# 8oz. Sifted pastry flour
          The mixing procedure is pretty much the same is yours.

          • Jessica Gavin says

            Thank you for sharing Sana! So you sift the flour first and then measure? Can you use granulated sugar instead of superfine? I can’t wait to try your recipe!

          • Patty says

            These are my husband’s favorite cookies and both recipes sound delicious so I think I’m going to try both! Thank you for sharing your recipe Sana. To clarify is that 20oz butter & 24oz pastry flour? Like Jessica, I wonder if granulated sugar would work instead of superfine?

            Can’t wait to try these cookies for a Valentine’s Day surprise!

          • Raylene Frylink says

            Hi Sana
            Was wondering if your recipe has any vanilla in it? I imagine it could be quite boring without it
            Thanks
            Raylene

    • Jessica Gavin says

      Thanks for the feedback John! How long did you bake the cookies? Sometimes I find if I give it another minute or two the flour taste goes away and the cookies are a little more crisp.

    • Jessica Gavin says

      Thank you for trying the recipe CookieMonster! I haven’t tried using it on a cookie press, happy to hear it worked out well 🙂

  15. Jamie says

    I was craving these, but couldn’t bring myself to buy them knowing that fresh is best so I was glad to come across your recipe. I rolled them into balls using a cookie dough scoop and pressed them down with the bottom of a glass covered in sugar. The cookies all warm from the oven melted in my mouth. I had to control myself from eating too many and save some for my family. My craving has been taken care of and I have a new recipe to add to my collection. Thanks a bunch!

    • Jessica Gavin says

      Thank you for your feedback Jamie! I love the idea of rolling them and dipping sugar, genius! So much easier especially if you don’t have a piping bag.

  16. maya says

    i’ve tried to make this recipe twice and as soon as i put them in they oven they melt. I’m following the recipe almost exact but instead of unsalted i’m using salted and instead of kosher salt i’m using regular salt. help pls

    • Jessica Gavin says

      Hi Maya! I have a couple of questions for you to figure out what might be causing the cookies to spread. Have you checked the temperature of your oven to make sure it’s calibrated and running at the right temperature? Did you bake in the center of your oven? Was the butter softened at room temperature? Does the dough feels really warm after mixing? If so, you can chill for 30 minutes to 1 hour, them allow it to rest for 10-15 minutes at room temp before you pipe so it’s cool, but not warm and can be piped. Sometimes I’ve had cookies spread on me when I baked them right after mixing. Let me know how it goes!

    • Jessica Gavin says

      Hi Maya! You could also try piping the cookies and allowing them to chill in the fridge on the sheet pan, about 30 minutes or until dough is firm and cool to the touch. A cool pan and chilled dough may help reduce the spread.

    • CHRISTYNE GERBASI says

      Hi Maya,

      I pipe these on a parchment lined baking sheet pan and then chill the whole sheet pan for 20 or 30 minutes before baking. This firms them up. They don’t spread much at all.

    • Jessica Gavin says

      Hi Lola! You can use 1 1/2 teaspoons of vanilla essence instead of the pods, however you will not see the vanilla bean specs and the flavor may be not as strong. Give that a try and then if you need more flavor that gradually increase to 2 teaspoons since vanilla essence tends to not be as strong in flavor compared to vanilla extract. Thanks!

  17. Sadia says

    Even though the ingredients & recipe is simple, the cookies turned out quite delicious. Brought back childhood memories. Thank you so much for sharing the recipe!

  18. Ali Goddard says

    Everything came together really well, but I had to add a little bit of milk so that the dough would pipe. It was a bit tough as-is to pipe. But there didn’t seem to be any change in taste or how they settled once piped. Really great recipe 🙂

  19. Lisa Metcalf says

    OMG! Best cookies I’ve ever baked. They were all gone in 5 minutes. People loooovvvved them. Soo easy. Can’t seem to be able to post my own pics but they do have the beautiful flecks of vanilla as well. I used salted butter and omitted the salt. Also, I added a wee bit of extra flour. Thanks so much!

    • Lisa Metcalf says

      Forgot to add that they turned out with a lovely crunch and are wayyyy better than anything store bought. Thanks!

    • Jessica Gavin says

      Yay Lisa! Thank you SO much for the feedback 🙂 I’m so happy to hear that everyone enjoyed the recipe. Great substitution tips!

  20. Tula says

    Yes I do recall those famous “Danish Butter cookies”…….BUT BE HONEST – they taste cheap & nasty now. The lovely butter cookies they used to make are forever gone. Big rip off & con job on the public. Like most things. Younger people don’t even realise.
    Good on you for offering your recipe. But don’t pretend that bought Danish Butter Cookies even come close.

    • Jessica Gavin says

      Hi Tula- Have you found a brand of butter cookies that you still really like? I would LOVE to try them 🙂

      • Shano says

        You’re too nice and polite Jessica. What is Tula bothering you about bow shop bought aren’t up to scratch as they were? They are still nice even if they may have been better.

        Moving on to trying your recipe, I was very pleasantly surprised. Unfortunately, I had a few setbacks e.g I just used vanilla extract, my baby cried halfway through so I only made like 10 small ones and had to refrigerate the rest for like almost 2hrs. Also, I had a sugar block my nozzle but I had already added some milk to loosen the dough mix believing the dough was too thick. However, once I unblocked the sugar out of the nozzle it was so easy to handle and produce. The taste is amazing. Everyone who sees them thinks they are shop bought and loves them too. And yes, the cookie dough before it’s cooked is also sooo delicious. My boy and I enjoyed licking the spoons. I decided to add 50g extra sugar. I’m definitely trying this again hopefully with actual vanilla pods and a wider star tip.

        Thanks so much!

    • jk says

      Yes, some inexpensive brands are made with soybean oil, which i believe makes most foods have that stale,old, cheap, greasy flavor. I always read labels, and look for the Royal-Dansk brand. They use real butter and real vanilla.
      They usually go on sale during the holidays, and 1/2 price afterwards. This recipe sounds easy and yummy. It may work to press a cookie ball with the bottom of a thick glass dipped in water, the press onto the cookie to flatten before baking.

  21. srujana says

    okay so i just made these cookies , the dough tasted amazing … when i started baking then they spread which i was happy about but the cookies have got real brown on the surroundings and have gotten crispy how ever the middle still was chewy ?????? i baked them for about 14 min can u help??

    • Jessica Gavin says

      Hi Srujana- Oh no! I have a couple of thoughts and questions for you. Have you checked the temperature of your oven to make sure it’s calibrated and running at the right temperature? Have you noticed any of the other things that you baked have darker edges and not as cooked center? I’m wondering if your oven temperature is running high? Did you bake in the center of your oven? Was the butter softened at room temperature? I’m wondering if you could cream the eggs and butter for a shorter period of time maybe 1-2 minutes instead of 3. Sometimes over creaming causes spread. Also, if the dough feels really warm after mixing, you can chill for 30 minutes to 1 hour, them allow it to rest for 10-15 minutes at room temp before you pipe so it’s cool, but not warm and can be piped. Sometimes I’ve had chocolate chip cookies spread on me and the centers stayed chewy when I bake them right after mixing. These cookies are crisp, but I didn’t find them to have chewy centers. Let me know what you think 🙂

        • William Keim says

          How about providing the quantities in grams like many baking recipes? I clicked “metric” and it just converted the volumes from tablespoons to milliliters. Who measures butter in milliliters?

          • Jessica Gavin says

            Great suggestion Kevin! I’ve adjusted the measurements to help you while you bake the recipe 🙂

  22. Bella says

    They are cooking right now but the dough tastes awesome.It was to crumbly to put in the squeezy thing so I just rolled them into balls to cook.Still great!

  23. Raquel @ My California Roots says

    These are so cute, Jessica!! And they sound so easy. I might have to make some as a last-minute treat before we head down south for Christmas!