Butterhorn Cookies with a flaky sour cream pastry dough rolled up with cinnamon sugar and walnuts. The bottoms get deliciously caramelized during baking! So good with an afternoon cup of coffee.
Butterhorn Recipe
Feeling a bit homesick as I settle back into life in Virginia so I thought I’d post this butterhorn cookie recipe.
Grandma only makes them on Christmas Eve, but they’re really too versatile to label a Christmas cookie (they’re also a great breakfast pastry with a cup of hot coffee).
These however definitely remind me of Christmas and family.
Making Christmas cookies all December long is a family tradition and we make so many cookies!
Have you seen all the Christmas cookies on my site? I even offer a free Christmas cookie cookbook to email subscribers (bottom of this post) with all my pro tips.
The flaky, buttery dough is similar to pie crust, but enriched with sour cream.
It’s then rolled up with walnuts and cinnamon sugar that caramelizes, giving it a nice chewy-crisp texture.
They’re very much like rugelach. Maybe the same thing, different name.
If you like cinnamon, you might also like my Cinnamon Chocolate Chip Cookies or my soft and chewy Snickerdoodle Cookies.
There are a few steps involved with chilling and rolling the dough.
This must be done, but since the dough gets divided into 3 parts, you can keep a batch in the refrigerator for a few days or freeze to bake fresh cookies at a later date.
After rolling the dough out thinly, sprinkle with the cinnamon-sugar walnut mixture.
The nuts can be left out completely, or you can substitute a different nut.
Next, slice the dough into triangles. I use a pizza cutter to slice the dough into even wedges and it makes assembly a breeze.
Roll up each crescent starting with the wide end and bake. Enjoy the incredible scent as they cook!
Pin these butterhorns for later!
Grandma's Butterhorn Cookies
Flaky sour cream pastry rolled up with cinnamon sugar and walnuts. The bottoms get deliciously caramelized!
Ingredients
- 1 cup cold salted butter
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 large egg yolk, slightly beaten
- 3/4 cup sour cream
- 3/4 cup sugar
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 3/4 cup walnuts, finely chopped
Instructions
- Cut butter into flour until evenly distributed. Small chunks of butter are ok.
- Mix egg yolk and sour cream together, then add to flour mixture, stirring just until dough comes together.
- Divide dough into 3 equal parts, wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes or overnight.
- Combine sugar, cinnamon and walnuts; set aside.
- Preheat oven to 375°F. Line cookie sheets with parchment paper.
- Roll one portion of dough into 12-inch circle. Sprinkle with 1/3 of the sugar mix. Cut circle into 16 even wedges and roll up firmly starting with the wide end.
- Place on cookie sheet and space 2 inches apart. Bake for 15-20 minutes or until delicately browned. Repeat with remaining 2 portions of dough.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 24 Serving Size: 2 cookiesAmount Per Serving: Calories: 173
Tom
Sunday 10th of December 2023
I learned how to make these as a kid in the mid 1960's. They are truly the best! Christmas wouldn't be the same without them. Exactly the same recipe except instead of butter I use stick margarine (Imperial). You can make them and instead of baking them freeze them on a cookie sheet then when you need to have them just bake as above until lightly golden.
It is a sticky dough but you roll it out cold (that helps) and flour the dough.
Glad to see the recipe lives on!
Corinne Ardilio
Sunday 10th of December 2023
Can you freeze these after baking?
Rebekah
Sunday 10th of December 2023
Yes
Maria
Friday 10th of November 2023
I love this recipe! I too have been making these for years as they are a favourite for Christmas and parties. I'm wondering if I could try making these with greek yogurt. I have so much I need to use and don't have any sour cream in the house.
Rebekah
Saturday 11th of November 2023
I think it could work in this recipe. Let us know if you try it!
Carla
Thursday 19th of October 2023
I make my hers and before baking I brush with beaten egg white .. makes them shiny !
Mary Ann
Wednesday 14th of December 2022
I’ve been making similar butterhorn’s for years (except my butter is room temperature) but they seem to dry out very fast…I tried storing them in a tin and then I tried a Rubbermaid container, but they dry out so fast. Is there another way of storing these cookies that they last more than a few days. I make them for christmas gifts and sometimes I don’t get to give them out until 10 days after baking and they are dry..so disappointing cause they are such a tasty cookie. Thanks in advance for your help.
Rebekah
Wednesday 14th of December 2022
These cookies are a little on the "crisp" side, but I find them to be more flaky and chewy than dry. Does yours have the sour cream and egg? To keep them fresh until you're ready to serve, you can freeze them after baking. My grandma used to make them in advance and store them outside (in the Midwest) until Christmas :-)