These Eggless Easy Butter Cookies are buttery and soft, with the perfect melt-in-your-mouth texture and a bit of crispiness on the edges. Plus, they’re super easy to make with simple ingredients you probably already have at home. Whether you’re looking to make a sweet gift, a fun holiday treat, or just something yummy for your family, they’re perfect for any occasion. You can even get creative with decorating them to match whatever celebration you have in mind.
Oriana’s Thoughts On The Recipe
Butter cookies have always been one of my favorite treats. There’s just something so comforting about that buttery, melt-in-your-mouth texture. I wanted to create an eggless version that didn’t compromise on flavor or texture, and I’m thrilled with how these turned out! They’re super soft, perfectly crisp on the edges, and have that classic buttery taste we all love — plus, they’re sturdy enough to decorate if you want to get creative.
This recipe uses just a handful of ingredients you probably already have in your kitchen, and it’s foolproof. Even if you’re new to baking, these cookies are simple to make, and you’ll be so proud of the results!
Whether you’re making them for a simple snack at home or sprucing them up for a holiday gift, they always turn out beautifully. It’s also a fun recipe to make with the kids since you can easily add sprinkles, or drizzle some chocolate.
What I Love About This Recipe
- A Classic Cookie, Egg-Free: Butter cookies are a timeless favorite, and I’m so excited to share this eggless version that’s just as delicious (if not better) as the store-bought tins. You won’t miss the eggs, trust me!
- Crispy Edges, Buttery Centers: I love how these cookies strike the perfect balance between having a crisp edge and a soft, tender center. They’re delicate yet sturdy enough to hold their shape, making them ideal for decorating or gifting.
- Perfect for Gifting and Celebrations: These cookies keep well, making them perfect for wrapping up as gifts. Plus, they’re so pretty, especially when you add a drizzle of chocolate or a sprinkle of festive toppings. You can easily customize them to fit any occasion!
- Versatile and Customizable: Whether you prefer plain butter cookies or want to dress them up with sprinkles and chocolate, this recipe is super versatile. You can shape them into any design and add your own personal touch for different festivities.
Potential Recipe Challenges & Pro Tips
- Dough Too Stiff for Piping. The consistency of the dough is crucial when making piped butter cookies. If the dough is too stiff, it can be hard to pipe out beautiful shapes.
- Pro Tip: If the dough is difficult to pipe, add a teaspoon of milk (or dairy-free alternative) at a time until it reaches a smooth, pipeable consistency. Avoid making the dough too soft, or the cookies might lose their shape.
- Piped Cookies Losing Their Shape. Piped cookies might not hold their shape well during baking, resulting in flat or misshapen cookies.
- Pro Tip: Chill the piped cookies on the baking sheet for about 20-30 minutes before baking. This helps the dough firm up and maintains the intricate piped shapes when baked.
- Uneven Cookie Sizes. Achieving uniform cookie sizes can be tricky when piping, which can lead to uneven baking.
- Pro Tip: Apply consistent pressure to the piping bag while piping each cookie, aiming to make them the same size for even baking. If needed, practice a few test cookies to get comfortable with the pressure.
Ingredients You’ll Need, Substitutions & Notes
Please check the recipe card at the bottom of the post for exact quantities and detailed instructions (scroll down).
- Butter: The star of the show! Butter gives these cookies their rich, melt-in-your-mouth texture and buttery flavor. Note: If you need a dairy-free option, you can use vegan butter.
- Granulated Sugar: Adds sweetness and helps create that crisp edge.
- Cream Cheese: Adds creaminess and a slight tang that complements the butter. Note: If you need a dairy-free option, you can use vegan cream cheese.
- Vanilla Extract: Enhances the flavor and adds warmth to the cookies.
- Salt: Balances out the sweetness and brings out all the flavors.
- All-Purpose Flour: Provides structure to the cookies and helps them hold their shape.
- Cornstart: It helps create a delicate crumb that is typical of butter cookies.
- Milk: Just a splash to bring the dough together.
To Decorate (optional):
- Semisweet Chocolate: For dipping the cookies to add a touch of indulgence.
- Butter: To melt with the chocolate for a smooth, shiny drizzle.
- Sprinkles: For a fun and festive touch!
Food Allergy Swaps
- Dairy-Free: To make this recipe dairy-free, you can easily swap out the dairy ingredients for non-dairy alternatives. Instead of milk, use non-dairy milk like soy or oat milk. And use vegan butter instead of dairy butter. Many brands are available in stores. I usually use Earth Balance Vegan Buttery Sticks or Miyoko’s Creamery Organic Vegan Butter. For the cream cheese, I like to use Violife Just Like Cream Cheese Original.
- Gluten-Free: Use a gluten-free, all-purpose flour blend. Look for a gluten-free flour blend specifically formulated for baking, as it will have the right combination of flours and starches to mimic the texture of wheat flour. My favorite is Better Batter Original Blend. I also like Doves Farm Freee Gluten-Free All-Purpose Flour, but this blend does not contain xanthan gum, so you need to add 1/4 teaspoon of xanthan gum per cup (140 g) of gluten-free flour blend.
Process Overview: Step-by-Step Photos
Please check the recipe card at the bottom of the post for exact quantities and detailed instructions (scroll down).
Step 1 – Cream Butter And Sugar
Using an electric hand mixer or a stand mixer, cream the butter and sugar over medium speed until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Add the cream cheese, vanilla, and salt and mix until well incorporated. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl as needed.
Step 2 – Add Flour
Mix flour and cornstarch in a bowl. Reduce the speed to low and gradually beat in the flour mixture; mix until just barely combined.
Step 3 – Adjust Consistency
At medium speed, beat at 4 tablespoons of milk. You want a dough that’s creamy and pipe-able, but still thick. If the dough is not pipe-able enough, add more milk, 1 tablespoon at a time (you may need up to 6 tablespoons of milk in all).
Step 4 – Pipe And Chill
Fill a piping bag fitted with a large star tip with the dough. Pipe the dough in 1- to 2-inch (3- to 5 cm) swirls 2 inches apart on the baking sheets. Chill the shaped cookies on the baking sheets for 20 to 30 minutes.
Extra tip: I recommend starting small. Place just a little of the cookie dough in the piping bag to determine if it’s creamy enough to pipe. If it’s too thick, it’s impossible to pipe, and you’ll have to put the dough back in the bowl and add a little more milk. I always add 4 tablespoons (60 ml), and the dough is creamy enough to pipe.
Step 5 – Bake
Preheat the oven to 400ºF (200ºC). Line 2–3 large baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats, or leave them unlined. If unlined, do not grease the pan.
Bake the chilled cookies, one sheet at a time, for 10 to 12 minutes or until lightly browned on the sides. The cookies will spread but not completely lose their shape. Remove from the oven and allow to cool on the baking sheets for 3 to 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
Step 6 – Decorate (Optional)
Combine the chocolate and butter in a microwave-safe mixing bowl or liquid measuring cup. Heat in the microwave in 30-second bursts, stirring between each burst, until smooth and melted.
Dip half of each cooled cookie into the melted chocolate and top with sprinkles. Allow the chocolate to set completely at room temperature for about 1 hour or in the refrigerator for 20 minutes.
Extra Recipe Tips For Success
- Use High-Quality Butter: Since butter is the star ingredient in this recipe, using high-quality unsalted butter will make a big difference in the flavor and texture of your cookies. Make sure it’s at room temperature to achieve a smooth dough.
- Measure Carefully: Especially with baking, precise measurements ensure the best results. I highly recommend using a kitchen scale.
- Choose the Right Piping Tip: A large star tip works best for piped butter cookies, creating those classic ridged shapes. If the dough seems too stiff for your chosen tip, soften it slightly or switch to a tip with a larger opening. I used Ateco # 849 – Closed Star Pastry Tip.
- Preheat the oven for at least 15 minutes before you start, giving it plenty of time to reach the ideal recipe temperature.
- Keep an Eye on the Baking Time: Piped cookies are usually smaller and thinner, so they tend to bake quickly. Watch them closely as they bake to prevent over-browning, as they can go from perfect to overdone in a matter of minutes.
Variations & Additions
- Extracts: Try different extracts like almond, coconut, or even lemon for a unique twist on the classic butter cookie flavor.
- Food Coloring: Add a few drops of food coloring to the dough to create cookies in any color you like. This works great for holidays or themed events.
- Holiday-Themed Ideas: For Christmas, add crushed candy canes to the dough or sprinkle them on top of chocolate-dipped cookies. For Halloween, use orange and black food coloring and decorate with spooky sprinkles. For Valentine’s Day, shape the cookies into hearts and dip them in pink or red-colored chocolate.
- Sprinkles: While the chocolate is still wet, sprinkle the cookies with colorful sprinkles, chopped nuts, shredded coconut, or crushed candy for a festive touch.
Storing and Freezing Instructions
Store Baked Cookies: Store cookies at room temperature in an airtight container for up to five days or in the refrigerator for up to a week.
Freeze Baked Cookies: Let the cookies cool completely after baking. Then place on a cookie sheet and flash freeze for about 30 minutes. Once they’re hard, place the cookies in a freezer container or bag and freeze them for up to two months. To thaw, remove them from the freezer about two hours before enjoying them and let them thaw at room temperature.
Freeze Unbaked Cookie: Unbaked-shaped cookie dough freezes well for up to three months. Shape the cookies, line them up on a baking sheet, and pop them in the freezer for about 30 minutes. Once frozen, toss all the frozen dough balls into a freezer-safe zip-top bag. Don’t forget to label the bag with the date and what is in the bag!
Baking Frozen Unbaked Cookie: Frozen unbaked-shaped cookies can be baked without thawing first! Add an extra minute to the baking time.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes! You can make the cookie dough up to 2-3 days in advance. Wrap the dough tightly in plastic wrap and store it in the refrigerator until you’re ready to pipe and bake the cookies.
If the dough feels too firm when you’re ready to use it, let it sit at room temperature for a few minutes to soften slightly before piping. You can also chill the shaped cookies on the baking sheet in the refrigerator for up to 2 days before baking. Cover with plastic wrap or aluminum foil if chilling for longer than 30 minutes.
Yes! I highly recommend chilling the piped cookies on the baking sheet for about 20-30 minutes before baking. This helps the dough firm up and maintains the intricate piped shapes when baked.
Absolutely! These cookies are sturdy enough for decorating, so you can dip or drizzle them with chocolate and add sprinkles. Or simply dust them with powdered sugar.
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Recipe Card 📖
Eggless Easy Butter Cookies
Ingredients
For the Eggless Butter Cookies:
- 1 cup (230 g) unsalted butter, softened
- 1/2 cup (100 g) granulated sugar
- 1/4 cup (60 g) cream cheese, softened
- 2 teaspoons (10 g) pure vanilla extract (or ¼ teaspoon almond extract)
- 1/2 teaspoon (2 g) salt
- 2 1/4 cups (315 g) all-purpose flour
- 3 tablespoons (30 g) cornstarch
- 4 – 6 tablespoons (60 – 90 g) milk
To Decorate (optional):
- 4 oz (113 g) semisweet chocolate, (chopped or chips)
- 1 tablespoon (14 g) butter
- 1/2 cup (95 g) sprinkles
Important
Don’t forget to check out the step-by-step photos above in the post—they’ll guide you through the process and make everything super clear!
Instructions
- Before you start!: Make room for a baking sheet in your refrigerator so the shaped cookies can chill for 30 minutes. Without chilling, the piped cookies may over-spread. If you chill the dough before shaping, the dough will be too cold/stiff to pipe.
Make the Eggless Butter Cookies:
- Using an electric hand mixer or a stand mixer, cream the butter and sugar over medium speed until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Add the cream cheese, vanilla, and salt and mix until well incorporated. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl as needed.
- Mix flour and cornstarch in a bowl. Reduce the speed to low and gradually beat in the flour mixture; mix until just barely combined.
- On medium speed, beat in 4 tablespoons of milk. You want a dough that’s creamy and pipe-able, but still thick. If the dough is not pipe-able enough, add more milk 1 tablespoon at a time (you may need up to 2 extra tablespoons of milk).
- Place the dough in a piping bag fitted with a large star tip.
- Line two baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats.
- Pipe the dough in 1- to 2-inch (3- to 5 cm) swirls 2 inches apart on the baking sheets. Chill the shaped cookies on the baking sheets for 20 to 30 minutes.
- Preheat the oven to 400ºF (200ºC).
- Bake the chilled cookies, one sheet at a time, for 10 to 12 minutes or until very lightly browned on the sides. The cookies will spread just a bit but they will not lose their shape.
- Remove from the oven and allow to cool on the baking sheets for 3 to 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
Decorate (optional):
- Combine the chocolate and butter in a microwave-safe mixing bowl or liquid measuring cup. Heat in the microwave in 30-second bursts, stirring between each burst, until smooth and melted.
- Dip half of each cooled cookie into the melted chocolate and top with sprinkles. Allow the chocolate to set completely at room temperature for about 1 hour or in the refrigerator for 20 minutes.
- Dairy-Free: To make this recipe dairy-free, you can easily swap out the dairy ingredients for non-dairy alternatives. Instead of milk, use non-dairy milk like soy or oat milk. And use vegan butter instead of dairy butter. Many brands are available in stores. I usually use Earth Balance Vegan Buttery Sticks or Miyoko’s Creamery Organic Vegan Butter. For the cream cheese, I like to use Violife Just Like Cream Cheese Original.
- Gluten-Free: Use a gluten-free, all-purpose flour blend. Look for a gluten-free flour blend specifically formulated for baking, as it will have the right combination of flours and starches to mimic the texture of wheat flour. My favorite is Better Batter Original Blend. I also like Doves Farm Freee Gluten-Free All-Purpose Flour, but this blend does not contain xanthan gum, so you need to add 1/4 teaspoon of xanthan gum per cup (140 g) of gluten-free flour blend.
- Dough Too Stiff for Piping. The consistency of the dough is crucial when making piped butter cookies. If the dough is too stiff, it can be hard to pipe out beautiful shapes.
- Pro Tip: If the dough is difficult to pipe, add a teaspoon of milk (or dairy-free alternative) at a time until it reaches a smooth, pipeable consistency. Avoid making the dough too soft, or the cookies might lose their shape.
- Piped Cookies Losing Their Shape. Piped cookies might not hold their shape well during baking, resulting in flat or misshapen cookies.
- Pro Tip: Chill the piped cookies on the baking sheet for about 20-30 minutes before baking. This helps the dough firm up and maintains the intricate piped shapes when baked.
- Uneven Cookie Sizes. Achieving uniform cookie sizes can be tricky when piping, which can lead to uneven baking.
- Pro Tip: Apply consistent pressure to the piping bag while piping each cookie, aiming to make them the same size for even baking. If needed, practice a few test cookies to get comfortable with the pressure.
- Use High-Quality Butter: Since butter is the star ingredient in this recipe, using high-quality unsalted butter will make a big difference in the flavor and texture of your cookies. Make sure it’s at room temperature to achieve a smooth dough.
- Measure Carefully: Especially with baking, precise measurements ensure the best results. I highly recommend using a kitchen scale.
- Choose the Right Piping Tip: A large star tip works best for piped butter cookies, creating those classic ridged shapes. If the dough seems too stiff for your chosen tip, soften it slightly or switch to a tip with a larger opening. I used Ateco # 849 – Closed Star Pastry Tip.
- Preheat the oven for at least 15 minutes before you start, giving it plenty of time to reach the ideal recipe temperature.
- Keep an Eye on the Baking Time: Piped cookies are usually smaller and thinner, so they tend to bake quickly. Watch them closely as they bake to prevent over-browning, as they can go from perfect to overdone in a matter of minutes.
- Extracts: Try different extracts like almond, coconut, or even lemon for a unique twist on the classic butter cookie flavor.
- Food Coloring: Add a few drops of food coloring to the dough to create cookies in any color you like. This works great for holidays or themed events.
- Holiday-Themed Ideas: For Christmas, add crushed candy canes to the dough or sprinkle them on top of chocolate-dipped cookies. For Halloween, use orange and black food coloring and decorate with spooky sprinkles. For Valentine’s Day, shape the cookies into hearts and dip them in pink or red-colored chocolate.
- Sprinkles: While the chocolate is still wet, sprinkle the cookies with colorful sprinkles, chopped nuts, shredded coconut, or crushed candy for a festive touch.
Nutrition
Nutrition information provided is an estimate and will vary based on cooking methods and brands of ingredients used.