Easy Easter Soft Buttery Cookies

These Easy Easter Cookies are every bit as soft and buttery as you dream of, with gooey centers, crisp golden edges, and chocolate in every bite. They make a perfect festive treat for dessert tables or surprise afternoon snacks. When I bake a batch during springtime, they vanish almost instantly so I always go for double to keep up with requests.

When I first made these for Easter brunch with my nieces they each decorated their own cookie plate and asked for more to take home

Ingredients

• Salted butter softened: for richness and a creamy texture high quality real butter gives the best results
• Salted butter browned: for deep nutty caramel notes select a European style butter if you can
• Brown sugar: helps make the centers chewy choose soft moist brown sugar when possible
• White sugar: for crispy edges ensures even browning
• Eggs: for binding and lift use large eggs at room temperature for fluffier cookies
• Vanilla extract: adds warmth and aroma always use pure vanilla not imitation
• All-purpose flour: for structure sift first for a lighter crumb
• Cake or pastry flour: brings tenderness if using cake flour look for unbleached brands
• Baking soda and powder: help cookies rise ensure yours are fresh for best results
• Cornstarch: for extra softness check your starch is lump free before adding
• Semi-sweet chocolate chips: for a deep cocoa flavor use a brand you love to eat by the handful
• Mini Eggs: for festive crunch and color crush gently so you keep some big chocolate pieces
• White chocolate chips: for additional sweetness definitely use if you love creamy white chocolate

Step-by-Step Instructions

Brown the Butter:

Add your measured salted butter to a saucepan and place over medium heat stir constantly until the butter melts foams and then develops golden brown bits at the bottom with a rich nutty smell this takes around five to eight minutes remove from heat and allow to cool for several minutes

Mix the Wet Ingredients:

In a large bowl whisk the cooled brown butter with additional softened butter brown sugar white sugar eggs and vanilla extract the mixture should become smooth and glossy after about one minute consistent mixing by hand or with an electric mixer

Combine the Dry Ingredients:

In a separate bowl whisk together all-purpose flour cake flour baking soda baking powder and cornstarch gradually pour the dry mix into the wet mix gently stirring with a wooden spoon when the dough gets too thick switch to using clean hands and knead gently until fully incorporated

Fold in the Chocolate:

Drop in the semi-sweet chocolate chips halved or crushed Mini Eggs and white chocolate chips if using fold in gently so every scoop of dough has plenty of chocolate

Shape and Chill:

Shape the dough into a log or tube form wrap tightly with plastic wrap place in your refrigerator and chill for at least one hour overnight is even better this resting time helps the flavors settle and the dough firm up

Bake:

Remove dough from the fridge thirty minutes before baking to let it soften preheat the oven to three hundred fifty degrees Fahrenheit and line a baking sheet with parchment roll the dough into balls and set on the tray bake for twelve minutes watching for set edges and a still soft center

Cool and Serve:

Cool the baked cookies on a wire rack for five to ten minutes before serving enjoy them warm and store leftovers in an airtight tin to keep them soft

Save

My favorite part is crushing the Mini Eggs some stay big and melty others dot the dough with color My nephew likes to pick out extra white chocolate chips for his batch last Easter we had a mini decorating contest and it is now a yearly tradition

Storage Tips

Keep your cookies soft by storing in an airtight container at room temperature for up to four days For longer freshness freeze baked cookies or raw dough balls for up to three months When ready to eat you can bake straight from frozen with just a minute or two added to the bake time

Ingredient Substitutions

No cake flour No problem use all all-purpose flour in a pinch but your cookies will be a bit less cake like Swap in dark chocolate or milk chocolate chips for a new twist and if you cannot find Mini Eggs do not worry chop up any chocolate candy shell eggs for the same colorful crunch

Serving Suggestions

Pile these cookies high on a pretty platter for Easter brunch wrap in cellophane with a ribbon for a sweet gift or serve alongside bowls of pastel sprinkles for kids to top their own cookies Fresh out of the oven with a cold glass of milk is absolute bliss

Save

Cultural Context

These Easter cookies capture the spirit of American holiday baking traditions where bright colors and sweet flavors bring families together Chocolate egg candies are a classic seasonal treat and folding them into a soft buttery dough makes a nostalgic snack that everyone loves

Recipe FAQs

→ What makes these cookies soft and chewy?

The mix of browned butter, cake or pastry flour, and a long chill time helps create cookies with a soft, gooey center and lightly crisp edges.

→ Can I use only all-purpose flour?

Yes, you can use just all-purpose flour, but mixing with cake or pastry flour gives a more tender texture.

→ Why chill the dough before baking?

Chilling lets the flavors develop, firms up the dough, and helps the cookies bake thick, preventing too much spreading.

→ Do these freeze well?

Absolutely! Freeze dough balls and bake from frozen, adding a minute or two to the bake time for the best results.

→ How do I brown butter properly?

Melt butter on medium heat, stirring often, until it foams and browns with a nutty aroma—about 5-8 minutes.