The Beloved $2 Butter Cookies I’m Bringing to Every Holiday Party I’m Invited To

If you’re a certain age, you’ve probably experienced the bitter disappointment of opening one of those signature blue tins (you know the ones!) only to find sewing supplies in place of rich, delicious Danish butter cookies. I know I have. But during the winter months, the odds are more in our favor that wrestling open a metal lid will reveal not thimbles and thread, but gloriously tender cookies that smell of butter, sugar, and a hint of vanilla. 

The classic cookies are practically everywhere come the holidays, and even the premium brand (made with quality butter, not cheap oils) can be found with a reduced price tag. A gift to us all! For over three decades for me, these were the gold standard — the best of the best.

Then last winter, when I was visiting my now ex-boyfriend’s mother, I happened upon a red and gold tin decorated with a wintry street fair that was gifted to her. Beneath the festive lid was a gorgeous display of butter cookies in various shapes. After one bite, I was shocked at how delicious they were.

In fact, they were so good that I ordered a giant family-sized tin from Amazon to savor all for myself shortly after I returned to Georgia. I regretted not a penny spent to acquire the whopping four pounds of (now-out-of-stock) cookies from a reseller. It was something I definitely didn’t need, but desperately wanted.

From their lightly toasted, buttery aroma to the smile-inducing, purely pleasant aftertaste, there’s nothing not great about these cookies.

An immediate reason for excitement is the variety of shapes. Like pasta, butter cookie shapes 100% impact flavor and joy, and the sugar-coated rectangles and pretzels stand out for obvious reasons. They’re usually the first to mysteriously disappear and, clearly knowing its audience, Jacobsens seemingly doubles up on them. 

Conversely, the least popular shape and the ones often saved for last, are the vanilla- and coconut-flavored rounds. And guess what? You’ll only find one set of these stragglers in this tin, and with the subtlest coconut flavor. Even better, in place of an extra sleeve of round cookies, is a playful starburst shape!

All of the cookies are richly buttery and sweet with just the slightest hint of salt. What made my eyes (and mouth) go whoa!, though, was how unexpectedly delicate and light they were. They’re more airy than the ones I grew up with — they almost disintegrate in my mouth.

The different shapes vary a bit in texture. The starbursts are the softest (with a fine crumble that practically melts in your mouth), followed by the slightly more textured swirls and rounds, and the more structured pretzels and rectangles with their satisfying snap and generous sugar crystal coating. Try dipping the rectangles in milk, coffee, tea, or hot chocolate or hot cocoa). It’s the best.

In addition to Amazon, you can find a smaller (but still substantial) 3.5-pound tin at Sam’s Club for under $15 and slightly more petite 12-ounce blue tins at retailers nationwide, including Kroger, World Market, and Instacart (for as little as $2!).

As I mentioned, the sugar-crusted cookies are ideal for dipping, but that’s only the beginning. They’re also fun to crumble over ice cream — especially vanilla with fresh strawberries for a strawberry shortcake experience — or even yogurt, for a decadent topping. But the absolute best way to eat them is straight out of the tin, as you pass it back and forth while watching holiday movies on the couch with loved ones … with a tall glass of milk (or tea) to cleanse your palate and a fully charged vacuum to suck up any errant crumbs.

Buy: Jacobsens Danish Butter Cookies, $1.99 for 12 ounces at Instacart

What foods are you gifting for the holidays? Tell us about it in the comments below.