These butter cookies are literal perfection. We call them Petit Four. Petit Four is typically known as bite size dessert cakes filled with jam. Some people even make savory versions of them. It’s crazy how different cultures will associate a name with a completely different dessert. Being arab, Petit Four as we call them, are known as butter cookies that are filled with jam or sweet filling and dipped in chocolate or toppings like pistachios and coconut. The cookies are butter soft and melt in your mouth. The filling gets slightly hard as it sits in the cookies and the cookies absorb some of the moisture and hold just a little better.
The cookies come together fairly quickly. The key is to make sure you use softened butter and beat the wet ingredients until you have a nice thick cream. After you add the dry ingredients, the dough will come together quickly. It’ll be a very wet and soft dough but it will not be sticky.
I use the OXO Cookie Press to get perfect cookies. There are so many discs to choose from and they give you perfectly uniform cookies. Make sure to use the press on a clean sheet pan without any oils or parchment paper. The press sticking to the pan will help release the dough onto the pan. After you bake the cookies, you can stuff them all the same day or store them empty in a sealed container and stuff them when you’re ready to eat them so they don’t go stale. These make perfect cookies for the holidays. I like to make them during Ramadan and Eid and give them to family and friends with some of my Anise Cookies. They make for perfect little gift boxes and the filling options are endless. I hope you enjoy this recipe as much as I do.
Petit Four Butter Cookies
The softest melt in your mouth butter cookies. Stuff them with nutella and enjoy one of the best cookies you’ll ever have!
- Prep Time: 30 Minutes
- Cook Time: 15 Minutes
- Total Time: 45 minutes
- Category: Desserts
Ingredients
1/2 cup Softened Butter
3 tbsp Vegetable Oil
100 grams Granulated Sugar
1 Egg
1 tsp Vanilla Extract
250 grams Flour
80 grams Cornstarch
1/2 tbsp Baking Powder
Fillings and Toppings of Choice
Instructions
Using a paddle attachment or a handheld mixer, beat the softened butter, oil, sugar, egg, and vanilla until you get a thick fluffy cream.
Add the dry ingredients and mix till incorporated into a soft dough.
Using a cookie press, press out your cookies onto a bare sheet pan. Bake at 355 F for 14-20 minutes or until golden brown. This will vary from oven to oven so start keeping an eye on them at 10 minutes and just make a note of how long it takes to bake them.
Once they’re fully baked allow them to cool almost completely on the pan. Shift them slowly so you don’t break them.
Match each cookie with a pair and line them up for filling. I typically put them side by side with one pair facing down and the other up so I can easily fill and then top them.
Refrigerate any jam filled cookies and enjoy within a few days. The cookies will get softer as they sit so try to stuff them the day you want to enjoy them. You can store the empty cookies in a ziploc or sealed container for up to 10 days before filling them.
Notes
You can use any fillings and toppings you choose. I typically do raspberry preserves and nutella with pistachios and coconut. Get creative with your fillings. Use a piping bag or ziploc with the corner snipped to make filling them easier. After I fill amd sandwich, I dip the raw filling edges into ground pistachios or coconut.
I rarely do recipes with gram measurments because for some reason people think cups are easier. This recipe is extremely precise. This will ensure you always get the exact butter soft cookie. Just make sure to zero you scale appropriately before measuring anything. Trust the process and don’t add more flour. The dough will be soft, but as long as your hands are dry and you mixed the wet ingredients completely in, it shouldn’t be sticky.
Bella Kay
Tried this recipe and it is perfect. Thanks so much for the detailed recipe and all the tips you provided Nur. Love your page and can’t wait to try more of your recipes.
Nur Ashour
I’m so glad you loved it! It’s one of my absolute favorites!
Wafaa
These have been one of my favorite cookies since childhood. I had given up tryin to find them in that authentic taste anywhere I lived. Then I tried this recipe and it was exactly as I had wished it would be. That exact authentic classic flavor I used to have in Syria. This isn’t an isolated incident – it tends to be the trend with anything I try from Nur’s recipes. Thank you for everything that you do!!
Samar
Hands down the best butter cookie recipe. So practical and so easy to follow. It taste absolutely delicious and sure is a crowd pleaser. I have made this recipe SO many times and always get rave reviews! Just try it!!!
Nur Ashour
Thank you so much!
Yasmeen Alhomsy
My mom loves these cookies. She used to make them a lot when we were kids but doesn’t bake them much anymore. As a surprise, I made a batch for her birthday just the way she likes them with apricot jam and pistachios and it was so special! She absolutely loved them and I’m saving this recipe for a long time. Thank you for helping us create and recreate beautiful memories.
Nur Ashour
Thank you for being here. Thanks for allowing me to be a part of those memories. Food plays such a big role in our memories, and I’m glad I can help you cherish them even more.
Ruba
Literally the best petit four recipe and the only one I use for eid. The meticulous detail and step by step instructions help so much!
Nur Ashour
I’m so glad you love them as much as I do! Sahtain!
Layla
I’ve made these so many times. They never fail to please. Delicious!
Nur Ashour
Thank you so much!
lulu
I love this recipe they melt in your mouth! My fave fillings is nutella sprinkled with some coconut. so delicious
Nur Ashour
I love that filling combo too! Glad you enjoyed them.
Farah
I need to bake something for an iftar party and the second I saw this recipe I was set on making them! I loved these type of cookies but so many complicated recipes out there. This was so clear and easy to make and they came out sooo good! I had a few people even ask for the recipe link.
Nur Ashour
They’re the best!
Farah
I needed to bake something for an iftar party and the second I saw this recipe I was set on making them! I loved these type of cookies but so many complicated recipes out there. This was so clear and easy to make and they came out sooo good! I had a few people even ask for the recipe link.
Nur Ashour
I LOVE that. They are always such a crowd pleaser. I’m glad they were easy to make. Ramadan Mubarak!
Safaa
Turned out perfect. Tried for eid al fitr and now my go to petit four recipe 🙂
Nur Ashour
❤️
Sanaa
Hi! I’m so excited to make this with my mum tomorrow as a bonding experience.
Just wondering if I can make the dough one day beforehand and then take it to my mum who has a cookie press? We would then bake and decorate them together. I’m just not sure how to store the dough overnight, eg in the fridge, then should I bring it back to room temp when we’re ready to use it? Do we have to knead or beat the dough again?
Also, are we able to make a chocolate dough by adding cocoa powder to half the dough? Not sure how much or what type though.
Also, would you happen to have a recipe for the melted chocolate that we dip in?
Thank you so much and sorry for all the questions!
Nur Ashour
Hey!
I would not recommend making the dough beforehand as it will separate the fats or get very dry. I’m currently developing a chocolate one. Last time I subbed in cocoa for the flour but it came out very dry so I need a little more time to adjust it accordingly. I’ll have a chocolate recipe up soon!
Ally
I make these cookies every Eid or special occasion! MUST TRY! It’s so delicious and buttery. I prefer this recipe over the ones at bakeries!
Nur Ashour
I’m flattered. Thank you so much!
Samar
These cookies are for sure a crowd pleaser. I have made these many times and each time I do people are obsessed. So easy and sooo soft. The best butter cookie out there. Nur makes it so easy to follow as well.
Nur Ashour
Yay! Yes, they are so soft. I’m so glad you love them as much as I do!
Sihame
The best Petit Four recipe! Simple ingredients and comes together quickly. I sandwiched them with either apricot jam, raspberry jam, or Nutella! Huge hit with my family. Thank you!
Nur Ashour
Thanks for making them!
S
Forgot to include the star rating 🙂
Nur Ashour
Thanks!
Sima
I’ve had these types of cookies so many times during my childhood, some by family and some from bakeries. Quite often the cookie is too thick and dry or too white and powdery and flavorless! This is so far my favorite recipe in texture and flavor and the oxo press mentioned is the perfect tool. I’m planning to make these soon for my sisters baby shower as part of the favor, that’s how special I think they are and if any of the guests ask I will happily direct them here! Nur thank you for testing your recipes and portraying them so well! I also love the website very organized and easy to navigate.
Nur Ashour
Thank you so much for being here and trusting me for all your occasions. I love to make sure a recipe is perfect before putting out and I’m so glad you appreciate that! Happy Baking!
Chetana Pending
great recipe! thanks for sharing!
Nur
Thanks for being here
Lulu
This recipe is absolutely delicious. I followed it step by step and ensured that all the measurements were precise, (i used grams) and it turned out exactly like how yours did in your Instagram highlight, soft to touch yet not sticky. I stuffed mine with Nutella and raspberry jam and it was absolutely delicious (especially the raspberry jam one!). I found that the butter flavour developed as the days went by. Very lovely recipe and i totally recommend it! Thank you so much 🙂