1-First Step: Prep the oven and pans Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats. This helps the cookies bake evenly and makes cleanup much easier. Since these cookies spread a little as they bake, give each one a bit of room on the pan.

2-Second Step: Cream the butter and sugar Place the room-temperature butter and granulated sugar in a large mixing bowl. Beat them together until the mixture looks fluffy and well combined. This step builds the base for your classic homemade Danish butter cookies, so take a minute or two here and do not rush it. Once the butter and sugar are light, add the salt, vanilla extract, and egg. Beat again until everything is mixed well. The dough should look smooth and creamy at this point.

3-Third Step: Add the flour Gradually add the flour and stir until the dough comes together. It may look a little stiff, but that is exactly what you want. Because these are piped cookies, the dough needs to be firm enough to hold its shape while still soft enough to pass through a decorating bag. If the dough feels too hard to pipe, let it sit for a few minutes at room temperature. A little patience here can save you a lot of frustration.

4-Fourth Step: Pipe the cookies Transfer the dough to a decorating bag fitted with a large open star tip. Pipe the dough into 2-inch circles on the prepared baking sheets. Try to keep the shapes even so the cookies bake at the same pace. After piping, sprinkle the tops lightly with granulated sugar for that classic sparkle.

5-Fifth Step: Bake one pan at a time Bake one pan at a time for 15 to 17 minutes, or until the edges and tops are light golden brown. The cookies should look set but not dark. If they brown too much, they can lose that delicate, crisp texture that makes Danish butter cookies homemade treat versions so special. Keep an eye on the first batch, because oven temperatures can vary. If your cookies are on the smaller side, they may be ready closer to 15 minutes. If they are a little thicker, they may need the full 17 minutes.

6-Final Step: Cool completely Let the cookies cool completely on the baking sheet before moving them. They will be fragile while warm, but they firm up as they cool. Once cooled, they are ready to serve, package, or store. Total preparation time is 30 minutes, cook time is 15 minutes, and total time is 45 minutes.