Butter Cookies

• Before you start on the batter, make room in your refrigerator or freezer for baking sheets! The piped cookies will need to chill in the fridge for at least 30 minutes or in the freezer for 15 minutes before being baked. Sadly the dough can't be chilled before it's piped or else it'll be too thick to pipe.
• Line 2 large baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats. Set aside.
• In a large bowl, using a handheld mixer or a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat 1 cup of room temperature butter and 3/4 cup granulated sugar together on medium-high speed for a couple of minutes until it looks light and fluffy.
• Add 1 large egg, 1 Tbsp vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste, and 2 tsp almond extract. Beat at a medium-high speed until combined. Scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl with a rubber spatula as needed.
• Mix in 2 1/4 cups of flour (it's important the flour is properly measured! Make sure it's fluffed, spooned into the measuring cup, then leveled, or use a kitchen scale) and 1 tsp fine salt on a low speed until mostly combined, then increase the speed to medium-high and beat until completely combined, smooth, and thick but still pipeable.
• Fit a large piping bag with a large, closed star tip (I like to use an Ateco 848). Before we fill the entire bag, we're going to test the consistency of the dough and make sure it's right. Scoop about 1/2 cup of dough into the bag, and pipe a 3-inch swirl or squiggle. If you're able to pipe a squiggle successfully, scoop the rest of the dough into the bag and seal the top with a rubber band or clip. It takes a bit of hand strength, but the thicker the dough is the better it will keep its shape as it bakes! However, if the dough is too thick to pipe, scoop it back into the bowl of dough and mix in a tsp of milk. Repeat as needed until the dough is pipeable.
• Pipe 3-inch swirls or squiggles (I basically just pipe the number 3 to make my squiggles!) on the prepared baking sheets, spacing them about 2 inches apart. Take your time as you do this and give your hand a break between trays. Place the baking sheets in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes or the freezer for 15 minutes. While the dough chills, preheat the oven to 350°F / 175°C.
• Once the oven is fully preheated, bake one tray of cookies at a time on the middle rack of your oven for 14-17 minutes or until the sides are just beginning to brown. The cookies will spread as they bake but should still keep their shape.
• Remove the cookies from the oven and let them cool on the baking sheet for 10 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to finish cooling.
• As the cookies cool, melt 1 cup of milk or dark chocolate in a small bowl using a double boiler or microwave (heat in 20-second increments, stirring between). You can use chopped-up chocolate bars, chocolate chips, or chocolate couvertures. Once fully melted, mix in 2 tsp of coconut, vegetable, or canola oil to help thin the chocolate. This will make it easier to dip the cookies.
• Cover a baking sheet with parchment paper. Dip the cookies halfway in the melted chocolate, then let any excess chocolate drip off before scraping off the bottom of each cookie along the edge of the bowl. Top with a sprinkle of flakey sea salt and/or holiday sprinkles. Place the dipped cookies on a parchment-lined baking sheet and either let them firm up at room temperature for 30 minutes or in the fridge for 15 minutes.
• These cookies can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days or in the refrigerator for 1 week.