Butter For Baking Cookies

Our answer

Nigella's Butter Cut-Out Cookies (from HOW TO BE A DOMESTIC GODDESS) are crisp vanilla biscuits/cookies that can be cut into shapes before baking. The cookies are made with unsalted butter as the salt content of salted butter can vary and for these cookies it is better for the cook to be able to regulate the amount of salt used. Some European unsalted butters are made with cultured cream, but for these cookies we don't think that this would adversely affect the flavour of the cookies.

However, you should use a butter with at least 80% butterfat and not a blend of butter and vegetable oil. Butterfat is important for flavour but a high level is also needed to help the cookies keep their shape during baking. If a lower level of butterfat is used then the cookies can spread more when they bake. In addition, some buttery spreads contain higher levels of water and this can cause the cookies to be a little tough, rather then melting and tender.