Homemade Mini Butter Cookies
Tiny, buttery, and impossibly tender — these mini butter cookies are a perfect tea-time nibble or make-ahead treat. Made with just four pantry ingredients, they’re simple to mix, quick to bake, and endlessly addictive.
Ingredients
Simple ingredients are the secret here. Below each item includes its role so you understand why it matters.
- 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
— The flavor star. Fat gives tenderness, rich butter flavor, and helps the cookie spread and brown lightly. - 1/2 cup powdered sugar
— Provides a fine, silky sweetness and contributes to a tender, melt-in-the-mouth texture (powdered is finer than granulated). - 2 cups all-purpose flour
— Structure: the flour creates the cookie body and holds crumbs together. Use spoon-and-level measurement for consistent results. - 1/2 cup powdered milk
— Adds a subtle dairy richness, boosts browning, and helps the cookie feel more buttery even if part of the butter is lost to baking.
Instructions — Step by step
- Preheat & prep: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone mat.
- Cream butter & sugar: In a large bowl, beat the softened butter and powdered sugar together until smooth, light, and creamy — about 1–2 minutes by hand or 1 minute with an electric mixer.
- Add dry ingredients: Gradually add the all-purpose flour and powdered milk to the butter mixture. Stir (or mix on low) until a soft dough forms. The dough should be pliable but not sticky; if it feels crumbly, press and knead gently to bring it together.
- Shape cookies: Roll small portions of dough (about 3/4 to 1 teaspoon each for mini cookies) into balls. Place them on the prepared baking sheet about 1 inch apart.
- Flatten: Use a fork to gently press down each cookie to create a classic ridged pattern and an even thickness for baking.
- Bake: Bake in the preheated oven for about 10 minutes, or until the edges are just lightly golden. Watch closely — these are small and can brown quickly.
- Cool: Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 3–4 minutes, then transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely. They firm up as they cool.
Pro tips for perfect mini butter cookies
- Soft butter is key: If your butter is too cold the cookies will be dry; too warm and they’ll spread too much. Aim for easily dentable but still cool butter.
- Measure flour correctly: Spoon flour into the cup and level it off — packing flour gives dense, dry cookies.
- Powdered sugar & milk: Powdered sugar helps the texture stay tender; powdered milk gives extra richness. If you don’t have powdered milk, you can substitute an extra tablespoon of butter and 1 tsp vanilla for flavor (texture will change slightly).
- Don’t overbake: These cookies are pale when done; remove them when the edges show the slightest gold. They’ll finish baking on the tray.
- Flavor variations: Add a pinch of fine sea salt, a splash of vanilla or almond extract (½–1 tsp), or roll half the dough balls in granulated sugar before pressing for a pretty sparkle.
- Storage: Store in an airtight container at room temperature up to 5 days. Freeze baked cookies between parchment layers for up to 3 months.
Why this recipe works
With only a handful of pantry staples, this recipe focuses on butter (for flavor and tenderness) and powdered ingredients (for a delicate crumb). Small cookies bake quickly, giving a tender interior and slightly crisp edge — the perfect textural contrast that keeps people coming back for one more.
Serving suggestions
- Serve with tea, coffee, or hot chocolate for a cozy snack.
- Pair with jam or lemon curd — spread a little on two cookies to make tiny sandwich cookies.
- Decorate: dust with powdered sugar, or drizzle melted chocolate over cooled cookies for a simple upgrade.