Classic Butter Cookies with Vanilla Buttercream Frosting

Ingredients

• 1 cup butter, softened
• 0.75 cup white sugar
• 1 egg egg
• 2 tablespoons whole milk
• 1.5 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 0.5 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup butter, softened
• 9 cups powdered sugar, divided, or more as needed
• 1.5 tablespoons vanilla extract
• 9 tablespoons evaporated milk, or more as needed

Instructions

1. Prepare the cookie dough: In a large bowl, cream together the butter and granulated sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the egg, milk, and vanilla extract until well combined.
2. In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, mixing until a smooth dough forms. Wrap the dough and chill in the refrigerator for 2 to 3 hours.
3. Preheat your oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Lightly flour a pastry cloth or clean kitchen towel.
4. Divide the chilled dough into three portions. On the floured surface, roll out each portion to a 1/8-inch thickness. Use cookie cutters to create desired shapes. Transfer the cookies to ungreased baking sheets.
5. Bake in the preheated oven for 5 to 8 minutes, or until the edges are lightly golden. Allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheets for 5 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.
6. Prepare the buttercream frosting while the cookies cool: In a large bowl, beat together 3 cups of powdered sugar, butter, 9 teaspoons of evaporated milk, and vanilla extract until smooth. Gradually incorporate the remaining 6 cups of powdered sugar until well combined. Continue beating on high speed until the frosting is light and airy. Adjust the consistency by adding more evaporated milk or powdered sugar as needed.
7. Once the cookies are completely cool, frost them generously with the prepared buttercream frosting and enjoy!

Nutrition

• Calories: 131 kcal
• Fat Content: 5 g
• Fiber Content: 0 g
• Sugar Content: 16 g
• Sodium Content: 66 mg
• Protein Content: 1 g
• Cholesterol Content: 17 mg
• Carbohydrate Content: 20 g
• Saturated Fat Content: 3 g
• Unsaturated Fat Content: 0 g