Grandma's Secret Butter Cookies (Printable View)

Tender, buttery cookies that melt in your mouth with delicate sweetness.

# What You Need:

→ Dry Ingredients

01 - 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
02 - 1/2 teaspoon sea salt

→ Wet Ingredients

03 - 1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
04 - 3/4 cup granulated sugar
05 - 1 large egg yolk
06 - 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

→ Optional Finishing

07 - 1/4 cup powdered sugar for dusting

# How To Make It:

01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
02 - Whisk together flour and salt in a medium bowl until evenly blended.
03 - Beat butter and granulated sugar in a large bowl until light and fluffy, approximately 3 minutes.
04 - Mix in egg yolk and vanilla extract until fully incorporated.
05 - Gradually add flour mixture to wet ingredients, mixing just until dough forms.
06 - Roll tablespoonfuls of dough into balls. Place 2 inches apart on prepared baking sheets.
07 - Gently press each ball with fork tines or glass bottom to flatten slightly.
08 - Bake for 10-12 minutes until edges just begin turning golden. Avoid overbaking.
09 - Let cool on baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to wire rack to cool completely.
10 - Dust cooled cookies with powdered sugar if desired.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • They manage to be simultaneously rich and delicate, like eating a sweet whisper.
  • The dough comes together in minutes but tastes like you spent all day over a warm stove.
02 -
  • Room temperature butter is non-negotiable here because cold butter creates a completely different texture that defeats the whole point.
  • These cookies look underdone when you pull them out but that is exactly when they are perfect.
03 -
  • Sift your powdered sugar over the cookies using a fine mesh strainer for that ethereal dusting instead of clumps.
  • The dough can be frozen raw and baked straight from the freezer, just add 2 minutes to the baking time.

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