German Butter Cookies (Butterplätzchen)

Ingredients

• 2 cup all-purpose flour (plus extra for dusting)
• 0.75 cup butter (cold)
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 0.33 cup granulated sugar
• 1 egg (medium-sized)
• salt (a pinch)
• 0.5 cup powdered sugar (for optional icing)
• 2.5 tsp lemon juice (or water; for optional icing)
• sprinkles (for decorating)

Steps

1. 1

   Add the flour, cold butter, sugar, salt, vanilla extract, and egg into a large bowl.

2. 2

   Use your hands to knead the ingredients until the dough forms a ball, which should take approximately 5 minutes.

3. 3

   Wrap the ball of dough tightly in cling film and place it in the fridge to chill for 30 minutes.

4. 4

   After 30 minutes, remove the dough from the fridge. Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and line your baking sheets with parchment paper.

5. 5

   Sprinkle flour onto a smooth work surface and roll out the dough with a rolling pin until it is approximately 3/8 inch thin.

6. 6

   Use cookie cutters to cut out shapes and place them on the prepared baking sheets. Gather the leftover dough scraps, form another ball, roll it out again, and cut more cookies until all the dough is used.

7. 7

   Bake the cookies on the middle rack of the oven for 10-12 minutes until they are lightly golden brown along the edges.

8. 8

   Remove the cookies from the oven and let them cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes.

9. 9

   Remove the parchment paper with the cookies on it from the baking sheet and let the cookies cool fully on a flat surface or wire rack.

10. 10

    To prepare the optional topping, whisk the powdered sugar and lemon juice (or water) together in a small bowl until it forms a smooth 'glue'.

11. 11

    Spread a small amount of the icing onto each cooled cookie and decorate with sprinkles as desired. Let the cookies sit until the glaze has fully hardened.

Notes

You can refrigerate the dough overnight if needed; just wrap it well in plastic wrap so it doesn't dry out. If refrigerated overnight, let it sit for a few minutes at room temperature before rolling as it will be very firm. For a different look, you can brush the cookies with an egg wash before baking instead of using the icing glaze.

Nutrition per serving

• dessert
• cookie
• holiday
• Christmas
• German
• baked
• vegetarian