High-Altitude Butter Cookies

These cookies are super simple but really delicious and addicting. I love the look of the sanding sugar coating one side of the cookies and each little slice is the perfect bite. Having a simple thing like this in your baking lineup is super versatile- you can serve them as is, or make cookie sandwiches, or even use this dough as a sweet tart crust.

There is some chilling time for these cookies, but otherwise they come together really easily and there’s less than 10 ingredients. One thing you may want to grab is sanding sugar for the sparkly look, but you can also use raw or demerara sugar if you prefer. Let’s get to it!

How to Make Butter Cookies

This is a slice-and-bake cookie but the dough comes together easily with just a few simple ingredients. We’re using two kinds of sugar to make the cookies soft and not too sweet, and this is a great time to pull out the vanilla bean paste if you have some, although vanilla extract works well here too!

Start out by beating together the softened butter, granulated sugar, and powdered sugar until light and fluffy. Then add in the vanilla extract or paste along with the milk until everything is smooth and combined.

Then it’s time to add in the dry ingredients- flour and salt- and mix until you have a soft dough and there are no dry pockets of flour remaining in the dough. Divide the dough in half and form each half into a log that is about 1 1/2 inches in diameter- this doesn’t have to be perfect, but it can take a few minutes to form an even log once it’s rolled in plastic wrap.

Chill the dough for at least two hours to ensure that it’s chilled all the way through. You can store the dough for up to 24 hours in the fridge before slicing and baking, or you can freeze it at this stage for several months. Once the dough is completely chilled, you want to carefully use a sharp knife to slice each log into 1/4 inch thick coins of dough.

Then you can simply dunk the cookies into a plate of sanding sugar to coat one side evenly. Place the cookies sugar-side up onto your baking sheet- they don’t spread much so you should be able to fit quite a lot of cookies on one sheet.

Bake the cookies until they are just golden around the edges and let them cool completely on the baking sheet before storing. They are simple but addicting and it’s the perfect little cookie for any time. Enjoy!

Tips and Tricks for Perfect Butter Cookies

Here are my tip to help along the way:

• Do I have to use powdered sugar? Yes, this contributes to a softer texture that is more melt-in-your-mouth and it’s important for these cookies
• Do I have to use vanilla paste? You can use extract or paste in this recipe, but I prefer paste so you can see the little flecks in the cookies- they are so simple and I love that extra pop.
• Why does the dough need milk? This helps keep the dough soft and easy to form into a log. You can use any milk you have on hand here, and it’s an easy swap for non-dairy if you prefer.
• Don’t skip the chill time for these cookies or your dough won’t be firm enough to slice and hold it’s shape while it bakes. The dough must be chilled thoroughly before slicing and baking.
• How do you get the sanding sugar to stick to the cookies? I found that sanding sugar stuck very easily in an even coat to these cookies without much pressure at all. You may find you need to gently press the cookies into something with bigger crystals like raw sugar, but the dough should hold it fairly well, even cold.
• How do I know when the cookies are finished baking? The cookies should be just golden around the edges, but you don’t want to over bake them.
• I’m at about 5,000 ft. above sea level and I find that most people who live between about 3,000-7,000 ft. above sea level do not need to make any adjustments to my recipes.

Print

High-Altitude Butter Cookies

Servings 48 cookies

Ingredients

• 1 cup unsalted butter room temperature
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1/4 cup powdered sugar
• 2 tsp. vanilla extract or paste
• 2 tbs. milk
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• Sanding or Raw sugar for sprinkling

Instructions

1. In a large bowl, beat together the butter, granulated sugar, and powdered sugar until smooth and well combined, about two minutes.
2. Beat in the vanilla extract and milk and mix through.
3. Add in the flour and salt, and beat until a soft dough forms.
4. Divide the dough in half and roll each half into a log about 1 1/2 inch in diameter. This doesn’t have to be perfect, but it can take a few minutes to get the shape and thickness right, so take your time here.
5. Wrap each log tightly in plastic wrap and chill for at least 2 hours in the fridge, and up to 24 hours before baking.
6. When you’re ready to bake, line two large baking sheets with parchment paper and preheat your oven to 350 degrees.
7. Remove one log from the fridge and remove the plastic wrap. Use a sharp knife to slice the cookies into roughly 1/4 inch thick slices.
8. Spread your raw sugar onto a small plate, and gently press each cookie into the sugar to give the top a generous coat.
9. The cookies won’t spread much while baking, so you can fit a lot of cookies per baking sheet.
10. Bake the cookies for 8-10 minutes, or until the edges are just starting to brown. Cool completely before serving. Enjoy!

Nicole Hampton

Hello and welcome! My name is Nicole, and Dough-eyed is a food blog for people who want to bake for their family and friends in high-altitude areas. Think of me as a friendly voice there with you in the kitchen, here to give you confidence when you’re baking, and to help you with the struggles of baking at high-altitude. Come back every week for new recipes, tips, and advice on high-altitude baking!