Looking for the most delicate Christmas cookies? These heavy cream cookies are a real hit: just three ingredients make a flaky, buttery cookie that melts on the tongue. You will want to bake heavy cream cookies every December.
They are ideal when you are short on time or want something extra tender for a holiday movie night. No complicated kneading and no hours in the kitchen. Do you have your cutters ready?
Quick Overview
- What it is: Extra tender cookies with no eggs and no sugar in the dough
- Secret trick: Heavy cream (33 to 36% fat) makes the dough bake up flaky
- Cost and time: Three pantry ingredients, ready in about 20 minutes of work plus chilling
At a Glance
- Prep time: 10 min (plus 30 min chilling)
- Baking time: 8-10 min
- Servings: about 40 cookies
- Difficulty: Easy
- Calories: about 65 kcal per cookie
- Trend: 3-ingredient cookies
Ingredients
(US cups, with grams in brackets)
- 1 3/4 cups (225 g) all-purpose flour, sifted
- 2/3 cup (150 g) butter, softened (not melted)
- scant 1/2 cup (100 ml) heavy cream (33 to 36% fat; also called whipping cream)
For coating
- powdered sugar, as needed
- 2 teaspoons vanilla sugar (1 packet, 8 g; or mix in a little ground vanilla)
Instructions
- Sift the flour into a bowl so it is light and airy.
- Add the softened butter and the heavy cream. Work it by hand into a smooth, non-sticky dough.
- Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and chill for at least 30 minutes. Do not skip this step; the dough is easier to work with.
- Roll out the rested dough on a floured surface to about 1/8 to 3/16 inch (3-5 mm). Cut out any shapes with cookie cutters.
- Place the cookies on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. They do not need much space because they barely spread.
- Bake in an oven heated to 340°F (170°C) (convection) for about 8-10 minutes. Watch them: they must stay pale, only lightly pink underneath.
- While still hot, roll the cookies in a mixture of powdered sugar and vanilla sugar.
Video Recipe
Tips for Perfect Heavy Cream Cookies
- For an even more fragrant dough, work in 1/2 teaspoon of vanilla extract or some grated lemon zest while mixing.
- Roll the cookies in sugar while they are truly hot. The heat makes the sugar cling lightly and form a delicate crust.
Variations
- Chocolate dip: Skip the sugar coating. Once cooled, dip half of each cookie in dark chocolate and sprinkle with coconut.
- Walnut: Add 1/2 cup (50 g) of finely ground walnuts to the dough and reduce the flour by about 2 tablespoons (20 g).
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Why is there no sugar in the dough? The dough is very rich in fat (butter and cream), and sugar inside could caramelize and brown too fast during baking. The sweetness comes from the final coating.
How long do the cookies keep? In a closed metal tin in a cool place they stay tender and fresh for up to 2 weeks.
Can I use whipping cream instead of heavy cream? Yes. Whipping cream with about 33% fat works well, and so does heavy cream. Do not whip it; add it as it is.
Can I make them ahead for Christmas? Yes. Bake them up to two weeks ahead and coat them in sugar, then store in a tin. They also make easy gifts for a cookie exchange.
This cookie tray favorite is easy to make and beautiful with any shape. Store the cookies in a cool place.
The recipe is based on a version by Jana C., adapted by the We Cook With Love team.
Enjoy! Try more recipes from our kitchen.
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