Our butter cookie teddy bears are more than just a tasty treat; they’re a labor of love. This is a classic butter cookie recipe. Their simplicity, versatility, and rich, buttery flavor make them a go-to option for any occasion. The cute teddy bear shape adds a touch of whimsy, making them an ideal Valentine’s Day surprise for your loved ones!
Here are five tips for making butter cookie teddy bears:
- Use High-Quality Butter: The key to achieving the rich, buttery flavor that defines butter cookies is using high-quality unsalted butter. Look for a brand that you trust, as the taste of the butter will be prominent in the final product. Butter with a higher fat content (around 82% or more) generally yields better results.
- Cream the Butter and Sugar Thoroughly: Properly creaming the butter and sugar is a critical step in butter cookie making. Use softened butter and beat it together with sugar until the mixture becomes light, fluffy, and pale in color. This process incorporates air into the dough, resulting in a tender and crumbly texture.
- Don’t Overmix: Overmixing the dough can lead to tough cookies. Once you’ve added the dry ingredients, mix only until they’re incorporated. Overworking the dough can develop the gluten, resulting in a less tender cookie.
- Use Parchment Paper or Silpat Liners: To prevent cookies from sticking to the baking sheet and to ensure even baking, use parchment paper or silicone baking mats (Silpat liners) when placing the dough on the cookie sheet. This also makes for easy cleanup and helps maintain the shape of the cookies.
- Shaping and Chilling the Dough: Make sure you are using a large star tip for the face and ears, and using a plain round tip for the snout for contrast. After piping the cookie dough, it’s a good idea to chill it in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes. Chilled dough prevents the cookies from spreading and therefore will help keep that cute bear shape!
Equipment you may need to make this recipe:
- Mixing Bowls
- Whisk
- Measuring Cups
- Measuring Spoons
- Sifter or Fine-Mesh Strainer
- Hand Mixer or Stand Mixer
- Silicone Spatula
- Baking Sheets
- Cooling Rack
- Piping bags and tips
Butter Cookie Teddy Bears
Valentine's Day is the perfect occasion to express love, and what better way to do it than with adorable and delicious butter cookie teddy bears! These sweet treats are not only adorable but also melt-in-your-mouth goodness!
Ingredients
- 1 cup (226g) butter room temperature
- ⅔ cup (140g) sugar
- ¼ tsp salt
- 2 egg yolks
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 cups (280g) flour
- 2 tbsp milk
- 2 tbsp cocoa powder
- Melted chocolate or icing for piping
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F.
- Beat the butter, sugar and salt until smooth.
- Beat in the egg yolks and vanilla extract.
- On low speed slowly mix in the flour until just combined. Mix in the milk as needed.
- Scoop two heaping tablespoons of the dough into a piping bag fitted with a large round tip. Set aside.
- To the rest of the dough mix in the cocoa powder until combined. Transfer the dough to another piping bag fitted with a very large star tip. Do not over fill the bag as it will be difficult to pipe the cookies!
- With the chocolate dough, pipe two little ears side by side onto a parchment lined baking pan. Then pipe a large round face making sure it is touching both ears. Continue with the rest of the dough, keeping the cookies about 2-3 inches apart.
- With the vanilla dough, pipe a round snout in the centre of each face. At this point it is a good idea to chill the cookies in the fridge for 20-30 minutes. This will help keep their shape while baking.
- Bake for about 12 minutes, or when the snouts are just slightly beginning to brown.
- Let cool completely. With melted chocolate or icing, pipe the eyes and the nose on each bear!