Classic butter cookies just got an upgrade! These Chocolate-Dipped Butter Cookies take a buttery, melt-in-your-mouth vanilla cookie and dip them in rich dark chocolate for a decadent treat.
If there was ever any doubt that sometimes the simplest cookies are the most delicious, those big tins of Danish butter cookies should put an end to it. Buttery and rich, with just the right amount of sweetness, they’re hard to resist. Chocolate-dipped butter cookies take that classic to the next level with the addition of chocolate.
Don’t get me wrong, they’re still simple! We’re not talking an over-the-top Crumbl style cookie here. (Although if you like those, check out my Chocolate Oreo Crumbl Cookies or Copycat Crumbl Pumpkin Cake Cookies.) But the addition of chocolate nudges butter cookies from an everyday kind of treat to something worthy of a special occasion.
Don’t think you have to wait for a special occasion to make these delicious treats, though. With only a handful of simple ingredients, they’re easy enough to whip up any time you get a craving for something sweet!
Why You’ll Love These Chocolate-Dipped Butter Cookies
- Classic flavors – Vanilla cookies with chocolate coating—it doesn’t get any more classic than that!
- Everyday ingredients – The cookies call for only 6 ingredients, and you probably have all of them on hand already! The chocolate coating is equally simple, with just chocolate, butter, and sprinkles on the ingredient list.
- Great for gifting – This is the perfect kind of cookie to bake for family and friends during the holiday season. Make them festive with Christmas-y sprinkles!
Ingredients and Substitutions
For the Cookies:
- Unsalted butter – Use high-quality butter. Since it’s one of the main ingredients in this recipe, it’s worth splurging on a good one!
- Vanilla extract – Vanilla is also a key player, so use pure vanilla extract rather than imitation.
- Egg
- Powdered sugar – For a smooth, melt-in-your-mouth texture.
- All-purpose flour
- Salt
For the Chocolate Coating:
- Dark chocolate chips – A chopped dark chocolate bar also works.
- Butter
- Sprinkles – Any kind you like.
Variations
- Use almond extract for a different spin on the classic butter cookie flavor, or use half vanilla extract and half almond extract.
- Swap the sprinkles for flaky sea salt or orange zest for a more sophisticated take on these chocolate-dipped butter cookies.
- Make them nutty by sprinkling your choice of chopped nuts over the chocolate.
- Instead of dipping the cookies in chocolate, you can use a spoon to drizzle melted chocolate over the tops.
Helpful Tools
- Electric mixer – This makes mixing the ingredients together a breeze—and keeps your arm from getting sore!
- Wire rack – Setting the dipped cookies on a wire rack keeps the excess chocolate from pooling around the edges.
- Piping bag – For a professional-looking butter cookie.
How to Make
- Prepare – Preheat your oven to 375ºF.
- Mix the wet ingredients – Beat the butter, vanilla extract, egg, and powdered sugar in a large mixing bowl until fluffy.
- Add the dry ingredients – Mix in the flour and salt in batches until a dough forms.
- Pipe – Pipe the cookies onto a greased baking sheet with a piping bag fitted with an open star tip.
- Bake – Bake the cookies for 10 to 12 minutes, then cool them on a wire rack.
- Make the chocolate glaze – Combine the chocolate chips and butter in a microwave-safe bowl and heat it in the microwave in 20-second intervals, stirring after each until the mixture is smooth.
- Dip the cookies – Dip half of each cookie in the melted chocolate and transfer to a wire rack. While the chocolate is wet, add the sprinkles.
- Set – Allow the chocolate to harden before enjoying or storing.
Tips
- Soften the butter before you start the recipe so it mixes smoothly into the other ingredients.
- Don’t overmix the dough. This will make the cookies tough instead of light and delicate!
- If you don’t have a piping bag, you can use a plastic sandwich bag with a small hole cut in one corner for easy piping.
How to Store
Room Temperature – Store chocolate-dipped butter cookies for 3 to 4 days in an airtight container at room temperature.
Refrigerator – For longer storage, you can refrigerate these cookies for 10 to 12 days.
Freezer – These cookies can also be frozen for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge or at room temperature before enjoying.
Frequently Asked Questions
Butter cookies typically contain eggs, while shortbread cookies usually do not. This results in a softer and more tender texture for butter cookies compared to the crumblier texture of shortbread.
Yes, there is a difference between sugar cookies and butter cookies. Sugar cookies are typically made with white granulated sugar, while butter cookies use powdered sugar for a smoother texture. Butter cookies also have a higher ratio of butter to flour, giving them a richer and more buttery taste compared to sugar cookies. Additionally, the texture of butter cookies tends to be more delicate and crumbly, while sugar cookies are usually chewier.
These cookies don’t make much of a mess because you’re only dipping half! You can hold onto the undipped half, which makes it easy. Then, use a wire rack to hold the cookies while they dry so the excess chocolate can drip off. I set the wire rack over a sheet of foil so the drips can go directly onto the foil and I can throw it out afterwards.
More Christmas Cookie Recipes
Chocolate-Dipped Butter Cookies
Ingredients
- 1 cup unsalted butter at room temperature
- 2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 egg
- ¾ cup powdered sugar
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- ¼ teaspoon salt
For the Chocolate Coating:
- 1 cup dark chocolate chips
- 1 teaspoon butter
- Sprinkles of your choice
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375F (190C)
- Take butter, vanilla extract, egg, and powdered sugar in a large mixing bowl and beat with an electric hand mixer until combined and turns fluffy.
- Add flour, and salt into the butter mixture in batches and mix all together to form a dough.
- Take a piping bag fitted with an open star tip nozzle and fill half of the cookie dough into the bag.
- Pipe cookies into a swirl pattern on a greased baking tray.
- Bake the cookies for 10-12 minutes. Once done place the cookies on a wire rack to cool completely.
- Combine chocolate chips and butter in a microwave-safe bowl and heat it in the microwave at 20-second intervals; stirring properly after each interval and reheating as necessary.
- Dip half of each cookie in the melted chocolate and transfer to a wire rack, decorate with sprinkles.
- Allow chocolate to harden before enjoying.
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