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While Italian butter cookies are traditionally made using a cookie press or piping bag, you can easily make them without.
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Italian Butter Cookies - without a cookie press

Making Italian butter cookies without a cookie press or piping is super easy. Using just 6 basic ingredients my recipe for these classic bakery style cookies is absolute melt in your mouth deliciousness.
Course Cookies
Cuisine Italian
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Chilling dough 30 minutes
Total Time 55 minutes
Servings 30 cookies

Ingredients

US Customary - Metric
  • 1 cup butter softened
  • ½ cup granulated sugar
  • 1 large egg room temperature
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 2 cups all-purpose or cake flour
  • 1 ½ teaspoon baking powder
  • ¼ teaspoon salt optional see note 1

Instructions

  • Beat the butter and sugar: In a large bowl, beat the butter on medium speed for 3 minutes until light and creamy. Add sugar and beat for another 2 minutes.
  • Add the egg and vanilla extract and beat for 1 minute to combine
  • Sift in the dry ingredients: Sift the flour, baking powder and salt (if using) into the mixture.
  • Form a soft dough: Combine to form a soft dough. Add an additional 2 Tablespoons flour if you feel that the dough is too soft to handle.
  • Wrap dough in plastic wrap: Wrap the dough tightly in plastic wrap (cling wrap) and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
  • Divide the dough in 4 portions. see note 2
  • Roll out the dough: Roll out the dough on a floured surface. When rolled out, the dough should be about ⅛ inch (4mm) thick. See note 3
  • Preheat the oven: Preheat the oven to 350°F/180°C (160°C fan).
  • Line a baking sheet with parchment/baking paper. See note 4
  • Cut/Shape the dough: Dip the cookie cutter in flour. Work from the center of the rolled-out dough to the edges, cutting shapes close to one another to prevent extra scraps and extra re-rolling.
  • Transfer the dough to the lined baking sheet see note 5
  • Bake the cookies for between 10 to 12 minutes see note 6
  • The cookies are baked when the edges are set and lightly browned. The top centers can look and feel soft when removing from the oven. See note 7
  • Remove from the oven and leave the cookies on the baking tray for 5 minutes. Then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely before decorating.

Decorating suggestions

  • Dust with sifted powdered sugar after baking
  • Top with candied cherries before baking
  • Dip the cooled baked cookies in melted chocolate and sprinkles.
  • Sandwich the cookies with jam after baking.

Notes

  1. Only add the salt if baking with unsalted butter.
  2. To make it easier, divide the dough in 4 before rolling. Smaller portions make rolling out the dough much easier.
  3. If you find that the dough is sticking to your rolling pin, then roll the chilled dough between 2 sheets of wax or baking/ parchment paper. This ensures that the dough does not stick to the rolling pin. It also eliminates the need for dusting more flour as you roll out the dough.
  4. It might be tempting to skip lining your baking sheet with baking/parchment paper, but it can sometimes affect the texture of your baked cookies. Lining with parchment paper keeps the cookies off the direct heat of the baking sheet, which reduces the amount of spreading and avoids the cookies sticking to the tray. It allows the base of the cookies to bake to a perfectly light and golden colour and avoids over-browning.
  5. The dough is soft, so lifting the cut-out shapes with your fingers can distort or damage the cookies. Avoid this by sliding a floured spatula under the cut-out shape and gently place it onto the lined baking sheet.
  6. Use the baking time given in the recipe only as a guide.
  7. Keep in mind that cookies continue to cook for a couple minutes as they cool on the baking sheet. They will crisp as they cool. For a crispier cookie, bake the batch a few minutes little longer until the centers appear set. But again, always keep in mind that cookies continue to cook for a couple minutes as they cool on the baking sheet. Leave the baked cookies on the baking sheet for 10 minutes before them transferring to a cooling rack.

Nutrition

Calories: 100kcal | Carbohydrates: 10g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 6g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 22mg | Sodium: 97mg | Potassium: 13mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 3g | Calcium: 16mg | Iron: 1mg
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