Best 7 Pastel Butter Cookies Recipes

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Indulge in the delightful world of Pastel Butter Cookies, where sweet, buttery goodness meets a vibrant spectrum of colors. These delectable treats are not just a feast for the taste buds but also a visual masterpiece. With a variety of recipes to choose from, this article offers a culinary journey that promises to satisfy every palate. From classic Vanilla Butter Cookies that melt in your mouth to festive Rainbow Butter Cookies that add a pop of color to any occasion, these recipes cater to diverse preferences and skill levels. Whether you're a seasoned baker or just starting your baking adventure, Pastel Butter Cookies are the perfect canvas to unleash your creativity and spread joy through delectable treats.

Check out the recipes below so you can choose the best recipe for yourself!

PASTEL BUTTER COOKIES



Pastel Butter Cookies image

Powdered sugar is naturally tinted with finely ground freeze-dried fruits (we used blueberry, raspberry, and mango) to give these almond shortbread cookies the pastel treatment.

Provided by Martha Stewart

Categories     Food & Cooking     Dessert & Treats Recipes     Cookie Recipes

Time 1h15m

Yield Makes 40

Number Of Ingredients 8

1 cup whole blanched almonds
2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 sticks unsalted butter, room temperature
1 cup confectioners' sugar, plus more for pastel sugars
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Freeze-dried fruits in various colors, such as blueberries, raspberries, and mangoes

Steps:

  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spread almonds on a rimmed baking sheet; toast until golden and fragrant, about 12 minutes. Let cool completely.
  • Transfer almonds to the bowl of a food processor; add flour, salt, and cinnamon. Process until nuts are finely chopped, about 1 minute.
  • Beat butter with confectioners' sugar on medium speed until fluffy, about 4 minutes. Add vanilla; beat until combined. Slowly add almond mixture; beat on low until just incorporated.
  • Line baking sheets with parchment. Using a 1 1/2-inch (1-tablespoon) cookie scoop, drop dough onto prepared sheets. Bake, rotating halfway through, until edges are just turning golden, 14 to 16 minutes. Transfer sheets to a wire rack; let cool completely.
  • For each desired color, place 1/2 cup fruit with 1/2 cup confectioners' sugar in food processor; blend until smooth and evenly tinted. (Sugars can be stored in airtight containers up to 1 month.) Sift tinted sugar over cookies as desired. Cookies can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature up to 1 week.

PASTEL BUTTER COOKIES



Pastel Butter Cookies image

To give a batch of almond shortbread cookies the pastel treatment, dust them with tinted confectioners' sugar. We blended the sugar with finely ground freeze-dried fruits (blueberry, raspberry, and mango) for subtle, all-natural hues.

Provided by the editors of Martha Stewart Living

Categories     Cookies     Bake     Dessert     Christmas     Easter     Christmas Eve     Almond     Cinnamon     Fruit     Soy Free     Peanut Free

Yield Makes 40

Number Of Ingredients 8

1 cup whole blanched almonds, toasted
2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
½ teaspoon coarse salt
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 sticks (1 cup) unsalted butter, room temperature
1 cup confectioners' sugar, sifted, plus 1/2 cup per tinted sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Freeze-dried fruits in various colors, such as blueberries, raspberries, and mangoes

Steps:

  • Preheat oven to 350°F. Place toasted almonds in the bowl of a food processor. Add flour, salt, and cinnamon, and process until nuts are finely ground, about 1 minute.
  • In a medium bowl, with an electric mixer on medium, beat butter and 1 cup confectioners' sugar until pale and fluffy, about 4 minutes. Add vanilla and beat until combined. With mixer on low, gradually add almond mixture and beat until just incorporated.
  • Using a 1 1/2‑inch (1‑tablespoon) cookie scoop, drop dough onto parchment-lined baking sheets, spacing about 1 inch apart. Bake cookies, rotating sheets halfway through, until edges are just golden, 14 to 16 minutes. Transfer sheets to wire racks and let cool completely.
  • For each desired color, place 1/2 cup fruit with 1/2 cup confectioners' sugar in the bowl of a food processor; process until smooth and evenly tinted. (Sugars can be stored in airtight containers up to 1 month.) Place tinted sugars in small bowls and dip cookies, domed-side down, into tinted sugars to coat. Transfer to a plate and let rest, about 30 minutes. (Cookies can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature up to 1 week.)

FRUITY PASTEL COOKIES



Fruity Pastel Cookies image

Conna Duff from Lexington, Virginia shares her variation on spritz cookies. "Lime Jell-O tints the dough and gives these wreaths a hint of fruity flavor," she says. "Try other flavors and shapes, too."

Provided by Taste of Home

Categories     Desserts

Time 30m

Yield 6 dozen.

Number Of Ingredients 8

3/4 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup sugar
1 package (3 ounces) lime gelatin or flavor of your choice
1 egg
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1-3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
Red and green colored sugar and/or sprinkles

Steps:

  • In a large bowl, cream the butter, sugar and gelatin powder until light and fluffy. Beat in egg and vanilla. Combine flour and baking powder; gradually add to creamed mixture and mix well., Using a cookie press fitted with the disk of your choice, press dough 2 in. apart onto ungreased baking sheets. , Decorate as desired with colored sugar and/or sprinkles. Bake at 400° for 6-8 minutes or until set (do not brown). Remove to a wire rack to cool.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 77 calories, Fat 4g fat (2g saturated fat), Cholesterol 16mg cholesterol, Sodium 51mg sodium, Carbohydrate 9g carbohydrate (5g sugars, Fiber 0 fiber), Protein 1g protein.

PASTEL TEA COOKIES



Pastel Tea Cookies image

These glazed sugar cookies are perfect for nibbling between sips at a tea party, graduation or shower. -Lori Henry, Elkhart, Indiana

Provided by Taste of Home

Categories     Desserts

Time 1h10m

Yield 4 dozen.

Number Of Ingredients 10

1 cup butter, softened
2/3 cup sugar
1 large egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1-1/4 cups confectioners' sugar
2 teaspoons meringue powder
5 teaspoons water
Pastel food coloring

Steps:

  • In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in egg and vanilla. Combine flour and salt; gradually add to creamed mixture. Cover and refrigerate 1-2 hours or until dough is easy to handle., Preheat oven to 350°. On a lightly floured surface, roll out dough to 1/8-in. thickness. Cut with floured 2-1/2-in. butterfly or flower cookie cutters. Place 1 in. apart on ungreased baking sheets. , Bake 8-10 minutes or until edges are lightly browned. Remove to wire racks to cool., For glaze, in a small bowl, combine confectioners' sugar and meringue powder; stir in water until smooth. Divide among small bowls; tint pastel colors. Spread over cookies; let stand until set.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 82 calories, Fat 4g fat (2g saturated fat), Cholesterol 14mg cholesterol, Sodium 54mg sodium, Carbohydrate 11g carbohydrate (6g sugars, Fiber 0 fiber), Protein 1g protein.

JELLO PASTEL COOKIES



Jello Pastel Cookies image

From food and family magazine. A good cookie for the kids to make using those boxes of jello that never get made. Do not overbake!

Provided by CrystalRN

Categories     Drop Cookies

Time 1h10m

Yield 5 dozen

Number Of Ingredients 7

3 1/2 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 1/2 cups butter or 1 1/2 cups margarine, softened
1 cup sugar
2 (3 ounce) packages jell-o brand gelatin, any flavor, divided
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla

Steps:

  • PREHEAT oven to 400°F
  • Mix flour and baking powder; set aside.
  • Beat butter in large bowl with electric mixer on medium speed until creamy.
  • Gradually add sugar and 1 pkg. of the dry gelatin, beating until light and fluffy.
  • Add egg and vanilla; mix well.
  • Gradually add flour mixture, beating until well blended after each addition.
  • SHAPE dough into 1-inch balls.
  • Place, 2 inches apart, on ungreased baking sheets.
  • Flatten with bottom of clean glass.
  • Sprinkle with remaining dry gelatin.
  • BAKE 8 to 10 minute or until edges are lightly browned.
  • Remove from baking sheets to wire racks.
  • Cool completely.
  • Store in tightly covered container at room temperature.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 1091.7, Fat 57.1, SaturatedFat 35.5, Cholesterol 188.7, Sodium 546.5, Carbohydrate 107.2, Fiber 2.4, Sugar 40.4, Protein 39.6

BUTTER COOKIES



Butter Cookies image

This great butter cookie recipe is a favorite of my nephews, who love the creamy frosting. -Ruth Griggs, South Hill, Virginia

Provided by Taste of Home

Categories     Desserts

Time 35m

Yield about 6-1/2 dozen.

Number Of Ingredients 13

1 cup butter, softened
3/4 cup sugar
1 large egg, room temperature
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
2-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
FROSTING:
1/2 cup butter, softened
4 cups confectioners' sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 to 4 tablespoons 2% milk
Red food coloring, optional

Steps:

  • Preheat oven to 375°. Cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy, 5-7 minutes. Beat in egg and vanilla. In another bowl, whisk flour, baking powder and salt; gradually beat into creamed mixture., Using a cookie press fitted with a heart disk, press dough 1 in. apart onto ungreased baking sheets. Bake until set but not brown, 6-8 minutes. Cool on wire racks., For frosting, beat butter, confectioners' sugar, vanilla and enough milk to reach a spreading consistency. If desired, tint with food coloring. Decorate cookies as desired.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 157 calories, Fat 7g fat (4g saturated fat), Cholesterol 24mg cholesterol, Sodium 99mg sodium, Carbohydrate 22g carbohydrate (15g sugars, Fiber 0 fiber), Protein 1g protein.

BEST BUTTER COOKIES



Best Butter Cookies image

With this convenient recipe, you get four different kinds of cookies from just one batch of dough. The cutouts, peppermint balls, spicy fruit balls and chocolate slices are enough to fill up a Christmas treat tray. -Dawn Fagerstrom, Warren, Minnesota

Provided by Taste of Home

Categories     Desserts

Time 30m

Yield 3 dozen.

Number Of Ingredients 21

2 cups butter, softened
1-1/2 cups sugar
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
5 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
ADDITIONAL INGREDIENTS FOR CUTOUTS:
Sprinkles, jimmies or colored sugar, optional
ADDITIONAL INGREDIENTS FOR PEPPERMINT BALLS:
1/4 cup crushed peppermint candies
1/4 teaspoon peppermint extract
Red colored sugar, optional
ADDITIONAL INGREDIENTS FOR SPICY FRUIT BALLS:
1/2 cup dried currants
1/2 cup chopped mixed candied fruit
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Confectioners' sugar, optional
ADDITIONAL INGREDIENTS FOR CHOCOLATE SLICES:
1 ounce unsweetened chocolate
1/2 cup chopped pecans

Steps:

  • In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs and vanilla. Combine the flour, baking powder and salt; gradually add to creamed mixture and mix well. , Divide dough into four 1-1/2 cup portions; mix and shape for each variety as follows. Yield: 4 portions (1-1/2 cups each)., To prepare Cutouts: Using one portion dough, divide into two balls; roll each ball directly on an ungreased baking sheet to 1/8-in. thickness. Cut with a floured cookie cutter, leaving at least 1 in. between cookies. Remove excess dough and reroll scraps if desired. Decorate with sprinkles, jimmies or colored sugar if desired. Bake at 375° for 6-7 minutes or until edges begin to brown. Cool for 1 minute before removing from pans to wire racks. Yield: 2 dozen., To prepare Peppermint Balls: In a large bowl, combine one portion dough, peppermint candies and peppermint extract. Shape into 1-in. balls; place 2 in. apart on ungreased baking sheets. Sprinkle with red colored sugar if desired. Bake at 375° for 10-12 minutes or until set. Cool for 1 minute before removing from pans to wire racks. Yield: 2 dozen., To prepare Spicy Fruit Balls: In a large bowl, combine one portion dough, currants, fruit and cinnamon. Shape into 1-in. balls; place 2 in. apart on ungreased baking sheets. Bake at 375° for 10-12 minutes or until set. Cool for 1 minute then roll in confectioners' sugar if desired. Cool on wire racks. Yield: 2 dozen., To prepare Chocolate Slices: In a microwave, melt chocolate; stir until smooth. In a small bowl, mix melted chocolate into one portion cookie dough. Shape into a 1-1/2-in.-thick log; roll in nuts. Wrap in plastic and refrigerate for 4 hours or until firm. Unwrap and cut into 1/8-in. slices. Place 2 in. apart on ungreased baking sheets. Bake at 375° for 8-10 minutes or until set. Cool for 1 minute before removing from pans to wire racks.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 63 calories, Fat 4g fat (2g saturated fat), Cholesterol 13mg cholesterol, Sodium 38mg sodium, Carbohydrate 7g carbohydrate (3g sugars, Fiber 0 fiber), Protein 1g protein.

Tips:

  • Use high-quality butter for the best flavor. Unsalted butter is preferred so you can control the amount of salt in the cookies.
  • Cream the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy. This will help the cookies to be tender and chewy.
  • Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. This will help to prevent the cookies from curdling.
  • Stir in the dry ingredients until just combined. Overmixing will result in tough cookies.
  • Chill the dough for at least 30 minutes before baking. This will help the cookies to hold their shape and prevent them from spreading too much.
  • Bake the cookies in a preheated oven until the edges are set and the centers are just beginning to set. Overbaking will result in dry, crumbly cookies.
  • Let the cookies cool on a wire rack before enjoying. This will help them to firm up and prevent them from falling apart.

Conclusion:

Pastel butter cookies are a delicious and easy-to-make treat that are perfect for any occasion. With their soft, chewy texture and buttery flavor, these cookies are sure to be a hit with everyone who tries them. So next time you're looking for a sweet snack, give these pastel butter cookies a try. You won't be disappointed!

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