Simple chocolate dipped butter cookies are a holiday staple. Pipe them into swirls, dip them in dark chocolate, add some sprinkles, and you’ve got a classic cookie everyone knows and loves.
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Chocolate Dipped Butter Cookies have a slightly crisp edge, a tender center, and are perfectly balanced by the chocolate.
These cookies are so easy to make, even though they look a little fancy. A simple dough, made with pantry staples, gets piped into round swirls, baked to golden perfection, and then dipped into chocolate and topped with sprinkles.
I like to use dark chocolate, because that is my preference, but milk or even white chocolate would also work. I used Christmas sprinkles, because it’s the holiday season, but rainbow non-parelis are really cute year round.
These pretty little butter cookies are perfect on a cookie tray alongside some pinwheel sugar cookies, fiesta fudge cookies, peanut butter blossoms, molasses cookies, and peanut butter balls.
Why you’ll love Butter Cookies
- Easy ingredients. You only need everyday pantry staples to make butter cookies. No special ingredients.
- Kid friendly. All ages love these cookies.
- They’re festive. Everything gets better with sprinkles, right?
- This recipe makes a lot. Depending on how large you pipe your swirls, you’ll get a lot of cookies out of this recipe, making it perfect for cookie swaps or gift giving.
Equipment needed to make Butter Cookies
- Mixing Bowls – I like these with the grippy bottoms.
- Hand Mixer – I use my hand mixer way more than my stand mixer.
- Baking Sheet – I prefer lipped baking sheets so nothing rolls off…from experience lol
- Piping Tips – I used a Wilton 4B star tip in the cookies shown.
Ingredients for Chocolate Dipped Butter Cookies
Below is a list of ingredients along with some possible substitutions. Scroll all the way down for the full recipe card.
Flour – All-purpose white flour.
Salt – For balance.
Butter – Two sticks (1 cup) unsalted butter, at room temperature.
Sugar – Granulated white sugar.
Vanilla Extract – I know vanilla is pricey but using pure vanilla extract rather than imitation is worth it, especially in a cookie with so few ingredients. I buy it in bulk from Sam’s Club or Costco.
Egg – One large egg, also at room temperature.
Milk – If you find your dough is too thick to pipe, you may need to incorporate 1-2 tablespoons of milk. I didn’t need to do this in this batch, but it is sometimes necessary.
Chocolate – I use Ghirardelli baking chips (70% cocoa) to melt and dip. I recently tried to use the store brand, thinking they wouldn’t be that different and I’d save some pennies, but there was a big difference. Back to Ghirardelli I went.
How to make Butter Cookies
STEP ONE: First, in a medium bowl, whisk together the flour and salt.
STEP TWO: Next, in a large mixing bowl, cream together the butter and sugar for two minutes. It should be light and fluffy. Then, add in the vanilla and egg and beat an additional two minutes. Pour the flour mixture into the butter mixture and beat until just combined.
Tip: The dough should be soft and creamy. If it is too thick and you feel like it will not pipe, stream in 1-2 tablespoons of milk to thin it a bit.
STEP THREE: Transfer half of the dough to a piping bag (or large freezer bag) fitted with a large tip (I use Wilton 4B star tip) and pipe small swirls onto an ungreased baking sheet. Place the entire pan in the fridge while you preheat the oven to 350°.
Tip: Only add half the dough to the piping bag at a time both because it is easier to work with and because if it thickens, you can add milk to the remaining portion, if needed.
STEP FOUR: Once preheated, bake for 10-12 minutes or until edges are golden, you don’t want them to brown. The smaller the cookie, the quicker they will bake. Remove the cookies from the pan to cool while you melt the chocolate.
Tip: Use a high quality chocolate baking chip or baking bar (like Ghirardelli) to melt. Traditional chocolate chips are a bit waxy and don’t melt as nicely.
STEP FIVE: In a small microwave safe bowl, melt chocolate (30 seconds, stir, repeat, until smooth) and dip the cooled cookies, laying them onto parchment paper to set. Immediately sprinkle with nonpareils or your choice of sprinkles.
Butter Cookies FAQs
Should I grease my cookie sheet?
No, pipe the cookie dough directly onto an ungreased baking sheet. I normally would recommend using parchment paper or a silicone mat but I find that makes piping the dough more difficult (it doesn’t stick) so directly onto the pan is easier.
What if I don’t have piping bags?
I rarely have actual piping bags and just use a large freezer bag. Snip the corner and slide your piping tip in, no coupler needed.
Which piping tip should I use?
I used a Wilton 4B star tip in these cookies pictured. Any large tip should work.
Do I have to pipe butter cookies?
Nope, you don’t have to pipe them. You can form the dough into a log, chill, and then slice and bake if you don’t feel like piping them.
How to store leftovers
Leftovers should be kept in an airtight container, at room temperature, for up to a week.
Can I freeze butter cookies dipped in chocolate?
You can! If you know you plan to freeze them ahead of time, I would bake the cookies according to the recipe but hold off on dipping them in chocolate. When you’re ready for them, move them from the freezer to the counter to thaw, then dip when you’re ready to use them.
However, if they’re already fully made (baked & dipped), you can still freeze them. Place them in a freezer bag and freeze for up to a month.
What is the difference between shortbread cookies and butter cookies?
Though similar, butter cookies and shortbread cookies have a couple differences. First, the amounts of sugar and butter. Second, shortbread is slightly more crumbly than butter cookies.
What is the difference between sugar cookies and butter cookies?
Sugar cookies are sweeter (they are sugar cookies after all!) and are generally rolled out and cut with cookie cutters (or just into circles like my reindeer cookies). Butter cookies have a softer dough and won’t work well to roll and cut. They work best to pipe out and bake.
Need more Christmas cookie recipes? Try these:
Chocolate Gooey Butter Cookies
Cream Cheese Sprinkle Cookies
Chocolate Peanut Butter Haystacks
Peanut Butter Blossoms
30+ Classic Christmas Cookies
Click here for my entire collection of cookie recipes.
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Chocolate Dipped Butter Cookies
Ingredients
- 2 ¼ cups all purpose flour
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup unsalted butter at room temperature
- ¾ cup granulated white sugar
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 large egg at room temperature
For dipping
- ¼ cup chocolate chips I recommend Ghirardelli baking chips
- 1 teaspoon coconut oil depending on your chocolate, you may need to thin it with coconut oil or vegetable oil
- sprinkles
Instructions
- To a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the flour and salt. Set aside.
- To a large mixing bowl, cream together the butter and sugar for two minutes. It should be light and fluffy.
- Add in the vanilla extract and egg and beat an additional two minutes.
- Pour the flour mixture into the butter mixture and beat until just combined.
- At this point, you dough should be soft and pipeable. if your dough is too thick, add 1-2 tablespoons of milk and beat until combined.
- Transfer half of the dough to the piping bag (or large freezer bag) fitted with a large tip (I use Wilton 4B star tip). Pipe the dough into swirls (approximately 1.5" in width) to a baking sheet. Place the baking sheet into the fridge to chill while you preheat the oven. Refill your piping bag with the remaining cookie dough and continue piping swirls onto an additional baking sheet and move that one to the fridge, as well.
- Preheat the oven to 350° and bake the chilled cookies for 10-12 minutes or until just golden. They should not brown.
- Remove the cookies from the pan to cool and melt the chocolate.
- To a small microwave safe bowl, add the chocolate chips (and optional oil) and heat for 30 seconds, stir. Repeat as necessary until fully melted and smooth.
- Dip the cooled cookies halfway into the chocolate and then lay onto parchment paper to set. Immediately sprinkle with nonpareils or your preferred sprinkle.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutritional information is an estimate and provided to you as a courtesy. You should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe using your preferred nutrition calculator.
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