These authentic German Butter Cookies are a classic for Christmas and should be baked at least once in Advent. It's an easy cookie recipe for kids. Quick to prepare, perfect for cookie cutters and easy to decorate with just eggwash and sprinkles.
For me, one of my first childhood memories is making butter cookies with my mother. I spent ages selecting the cookie cutters, and it was so fun cutting them. After that, I would decorate them brush on egg wash and add a variety of sprinkles on top.
How to make German Butter Cookies?
This recipe is super easy to make. The ingredients are butter, sugar, a pinch of salt, lemon peel, egg yolks, and plain flour. Ensure that you have measured the ingredients accurately.
Mix the butter, sugar, salt, and lemon peel with a dough hook. Add the egg yolks one by one. Now sieve the flour and combine with the mixture. Leave to cool in the fridge for an hour.
This cookie dough is quite elastic and not very crumbly. It is good for rolling and shaping with cookie cutters. We have two sets of cookie cutters at home, one for Christmas and one for Easter.
The dough is made of sweet crust pastry. Once baked the butter cookies are hard, not soft like shortbread cookies. To make soft butter Christmas cookies, I would recommend my Heidesand cookies recipe.
How to use cookie cutters?
It all starts with rolling out the dough. If you cover your work surfaces and rolling pin (affiliate link) in flour in advance, your dough shouldn't stick.
There are two tips I want to share with you to avoid the dough from sticking.
- Firstly place a sheet of clingfilm over the dough when rolling it out.
- Secondly buy an inexpensive silicone baking mat. They prevent you from having to scrape the cookie dough from your work surface later and you can wash them in the dishwasher.
Roll out the dough so that it is around 3 mm thick. Now you can cut out the cookies, by pressing the cutters in the dough. Carefully lift them onto a prepared tray lined with baking parchment.
Tips and Tricks for the Best German Butter Cookies
- If the cookie dough is too soft, you can always add a little more flour. If the dough is too hard, you can add more butter and knead it to shape.
- Do not knead the dough for too long, as it may lose shape and fall apart when you roll it out.
- You can prepare the dough in advance and leave it to rest in the fridge.
- Cover your hands, your work surface, cookie cutters, and the rolling pin (affiliate link) with flour. That will prevent the dough from sticking. Alternatively, use clingfilm and a silicone baking mat.
- If you make large quantities of cookies, try to cool excess dough in the fridge, as it is easier to work with cooled dough.
How to decorate German butter cookies
There are several ways you can decorate these cookies.
- The traditional German cookie decoration is just to brush them with some egg yolk before placing them in the oven. Optionally you can also decorate them with some sprinkles on top of the egg yolk.
- Decorate them with some melted chocolate, once they have been baked.
- Another traditional German cookie decoration is to add some lemon icing. Just mix 100 gr of icing sugar and 2 spoons of lemon juice, to a thick mass and spread evenly over the cookies.
- Spread them with jam. Just take two of the same shape, spread some jam on one of them and sandwich them together.
How to store the cookies
Germans start making these types of cookies (Butterplätzchen) around four weeks before Christmas. They can last a long time.
In Germany, we store them in biscuit tins. Make sure you store them in an airtight container and at room temperature. You can store different kinds of cookies in one cookie tin (affiliate link). If you don't want to store different kinds of cookies in one tin, you can separate them with a sheet of baking parchment, so the flavours do not mix.
How to use up left over egg whites?
Here are some recipe suggestions that will help you use your leftover egg whites in a delicious way:
- Mini Pavlova with Lime Curd and Blueberries by Casual Foodist
- Chocolate Swirled Meringue Cookies by Casual Foodist
- German Coconut Macaroons
- Baiser Recipe - German Meringues
Interested in German Christmas?
- Read my Guide on German Christmas Food.
- Discover all about German Christmas Market Food
- And see all of our Christmas Recipes
More German Christmas Baking Recipes
Recipe
Old Fashioned German Butter Cookies
Equipment
- stand or hand mixer
Ingredients
- 125 gr (½ cups) butter unsalted
- 125 gr (⅔ cups) granulated sugar
- 1 pinch salt
- 1 tablespoon lemon zest
- 5 egg yolks from medium eggs at room temperature
- 280 gr (2 ⅓ cups) all-purpose flour German type 405 flour. similar flour in the US is pastry flour, UK plain flour
To decorate
- 1-2 egg yolks
- 80 gr (½ cups) sprinkles
Instructions
- With a hand or stand mixer using a dough hook, knead the butter, sugar, salt and zest. Add the egg yolks one by one.125 gr butter, 125 gr granulated sugar, 1 tablespoon lemon zest, 5 egg yolks, 1 pinch salt
- Sieve the flour and add to the butter mixture.280 gr all-purpose flour
- Knead to a ball and place it in a bowl. Cover the bowl with a tea towel and leave the rest in the fridge for about an hour.
- Preheat your oven to 170°C / 340°F.
- Prepare your work surface with some flour or use a silicone baking mat. Roll out the dough to 3mm thickness with a rolling pin (affiliate link). You can place a sheet of curling film over the dough or cover your rolling pin (affiliate link) with some flour to prevent the dough from sticking.
- Cut out butter cookies in various shapes with your cookie cutters. Arrange them on a baking tray lined with baking parchment. Brush the remaining egg yolks on top of the cookie and decorate with sprinkles.80 gr sprinkles, 1-2 egg yolks
Notes
Decoration Options
There are several ways you can decorate these cookies.- The traditional German cookie decoration is just to brush them with some egg yolk before placing them in the oven. Optionally you can also decorate them with some sprinkles on top of the egg yolk.
- Decorate them with some melted chocolate, once they have been baked.
- Another traditional German cookie decoration is to add some lemon icing. Just mix 100 gr of icing sugar and 2 spoons of lemon juice, to a thick mass and spread evenly over the cookies.
- Spread them with jam. Just take two of the same shape, spread some jam on one of them and sandwich them together.
Melissa says
This sounds similar to my husband's German Grandma's recipe for Christmas Cookies. Hers has grated citron, rum or arrack, and ground almonds and cinnamon sugar on top. Are they a variation of these or a different cookie? She always just called them Christmas Cookies.
Marita Sinden says
There are many variations of this recipe. I cannot think of a particular recipe that has all the ingredients you describe though.
Dawn says
My mom always brushed the cookies with melted butter and then we decorated them with sprinkles, nuts etc. That’s how I still do it to this day, so yummy!
Lisa Schuster says
Think my cough was a bit dry but the flavor is just like my grandma (Oma) Kathryn Schuster!
Thanks for the recipe!
Marita says
Thanks Lisa, the baking time depends on the oven. Try taking it out a couple of minutes earlier next time. Best Wishes Marita
Elizabeth says
I made these today. They are just like I remember from my German grandmother. Just an FYI, I found the cook time that produced a better result was 15 minutes. And for Americans, I worked out the conversions for those (like me) without a good digital scale: 1C butter, 2/3 C sugar, 2-1/3 C flour.
Marita says
Hi Elizabeth, thanks for your feedback. I will add your conversion to the recipe, as I am sure others will find it useful.
THanks again.
Barb F says
We have an old recipe from my great grandmother similar to this. We call them butter cake cookies and make them the same way, but we add whiskey to the mix! My favorite childhood memories are of making these cookies. It's a tradition that has been carried down through the years. It's not Christmas until we get together and make these yummy cookies!
Marita says
Thanks for your comment Barb! Your recipe sounds similar, and whisky will certainly add an interesting flavor to those cookies! Happy Advent to you and your family!
Marita
Malou says
Can I use whole eggs please? If so, how many? Please let me know
Marita says
Hi Malou, thanks for your comment. Replacing the egg yolks with the whole egg will change the texture. As egg yolks make the cookie more crumbly.
To alter the recipe just up the butter to 200 g / 7 oz. Cream with the sugar and then just add 1 whole medium egg. Let me know how you get on.
Shumaila says
Amazing recipe. Reminds me of my childhood as I grew up in Germany and I know this is the authentic recipe ! Delicious, my family loved it.
Marita says
Hello Shumaila! Thanks so much for your feedback and I am glad this cookie brought some joy to your family. Happy Christmas Baking!
jeannie says
I love german cookies but si haven‘t try this one! Very timely i would like to try 🙂 Thanks for sharing
Marita says
i hope you will enjoy the recipe
Mihaela|https://theworldisanoyster.com/ says
No cookie lasts a long time at our house, especially the Christmas ones! I’m saving your recipe for this year’s Christmas cookies:)
Marita says
I am pleased, thank you. let me know what you think of them.
Emily says
I never knew I needed this recipe until I found yours! My guy lived in Germany for a while as a kid and will love these for the holidays!
Marita says
Hope he will enjoy them x
Alyssa says
These cookies like delicious! I’ve never tried German butter cookies, but I want to now!
Giangi says
Great recipe and always welcome all year long
Marita says
Thanks
Marita says
Yes they are. We use this recipe a lot.
Christina says
Easy recipe. I made them with my kiddo as a homeschool project. Delicious learning opportunity!
Marita says
Thank you so much for your feedback x
Katherine says
Nice recipe! I would definitely cook with my kids this holiday season. Thanks for sharing
Marita says
Thank you! Let me know how it works out x
Lindsay says
These look fantastic, I’ll be adding these to my holiday baking list. I think I might be able to figure out a low carb version. Thanks for the thorough instructions!