I don't mean to be rude, but from this and other posts it is pretty clear that cooking isn't one of your fortes. Instead of altering recipes in the first instance because you don't think they're right, you need to follow the recipes as written, without substitutions, before making judgement on how well they worked, or didn't work.

Your cookies were dry because of the extra flour. And overbaked. Substituting sugars can alter the hydration of the dough. Certainly the dough as prepared in the video doesn't look sticky, watching the maker handling it.

It's pretty obvious what happens with the shot glass in both recipes. In the YouTube recipe, the open edge of the glass is partially pressed into the cut out cookie to form a groove inside the outer edge to make a rim like buttons have. In the recipe you want to try, it explains that you press the base of the shot glass into the centre of the partially baked cookie to make the centre slightly depressed, as on other buttons. After cutting out the holes with a straw, you then leave the cookies on the hot baking sheet until cooled, to finish cooking through by residual heat.

I agree that baking is really dependent on chemical reactions which are affected by proportions and ingredients, each having their own properties. So when baking, it's really important to follow the recipes exactly, measuring carefully, and paying attention to the temp of the ingredients you're using. If you notice the dough is quite soft and pliable when she's working with it and that's what allows it to stretch without cracking as she's rolling it. If it comes out too hard from the fridge after resting, then let it warm up for a few minutes before working with it. But don't add any more flour or it will be dry. Make use of the parchment paper.

As already mentioned, try following the recipie first. But really button cookies are just like any other roll out/cut out shaping cookies. You are just making buttons instead of cutting out snowmen or squishing a fork into PB cookies, or putting your thumb divot into thumbprint cookies.

If you want to get better at the shaping part- get a tub or tube of premade sugar cookie dough. Cut it, roll it, shape it, ect.

I hope you try again and have success using the information others have given. I know it can be frustrating when recipes don't turn out as you hoped. But don't give up. I have a friend who likes to show off her culinary delights. Most of it I find to fusy or rich. But early this year she posted a crusty bread she made in a dutch oven. The bread was something I was interested in making for my husband and I as we like simple meals. So I bought a enameled cast iron dutch oven and tried to make the bread. Failed. I tried 8 different recipes. All failed. I finally found a recipe by Jenny Jones on youtube and followed it exactly. It was good to have the video so I could see it being made instead of written. It turned out!

I ALWAYS follow a recipe EXACTLY the first time. Especially for baking.

Jally, I don't think your cookies are ugly -- they're kind of cute! They remind me of buttons on a little girls dress -- buttons made with scalloped edges so they look like flowers :-)

I watched the video you linked to. Good idea to try again using store-bought sugar cookie dough. I also clicked the link to their cookie recipe. I'm not much of one for sugar cookies but I learned a good hint: To make sprinkles stick to cookies, brush the cookie very lightly with corn syrup, then sprinkle, then let dry. I'll try that sometime. Thanks for posting!

I agree with following the recipe as posted or using store bought dough. There are lots of reliable recipes out there for sugar cookies. Trust me, you’ll do just fine.

I’ve made button cookies but it’s been a long time ago. As I recall, I think I tied just 3 cookies together. I used red/white ”candy cane” twine identical to the one used in the Smart School House link you posted.

One suggestion…I would consider adding some vanilla to the Smart School House recipe if you try it. It won’t affect anything other than a flavor boost.

Never having heard of button cookies I looked them up. What I did find was they are just a sugar cookie. For under $10 which is cheap any more for a cookie cutter you can have one that will form the cookie's with either two or four holes. For a little more you can have two cutters in differing sizes.

I sort of agree with collenoz about cooking not being your thing. It may be you are just starting out but want to put your own spin on things. If it is the last start with the basics then progress from there.

I substituted brown sugar instead of white sugar.

Peanut butter instead of Apple butter?

Baking Soda instead of Baking Powder?

All purpose Flour instead of Rye Flour?

You could've tried refrigerating the dough if it looked too soft or sticky to handle.

I've been baking for over fifty years but I am very cautious about making recipes from the internet. Stick with websites where you know the recipes have been tested by experienced bakers. King Arthur Flour is a good one.

Rho, the white/brown sugar pairing is based on sugar, and is much more aligned than those other pairings which are based on words, not ingredients*. An experienced baker could sub white for brown, or vice versa, and know what result to expect.

*well, except for baking soda/powder which do have a common active ingredient. My inexperienced DD subbed one for the other and the result tasted like soap! but that's how you get to be an experienced baker, lol!

I was the family baker growing up. I liked doing it and my older sister didnt so I started on cookies and brownies when I was around 8. You should always chill sugar cookie dough. Part of it is resting the dough so it will make a nice tender cookie but of course also manageable. That is a cute cookie shape. A lot of work though.

Try this one - the almond flavoring is optional, and I like to add some nutmeg. It makes a firm, crisp, buttery cookie.

Chilling the dough can be key. I do that with various cookie doughs…sugar cookie, shortbread and most drop cookies (chocolate chip, oatmeal, peanut butter, etc.) I’ll make drop cookie doughs the day before baking the cookies to park in the fridge. I also freeze a lot of cookie dough to use this time of year.

Hi guys, in response I've several points.

1. prior to proceeding, I researched whether brown sugar can substitute white sugar, and saw the answer was "yes".
2. I knew about the online cookie cutters, as i've done loads of research prior to proceeding. But thanks for the tip!
3. I've lots of experience throughout my life with baking, even if not so much with cooking. Enough experience to know that adding flour adds firmness (and firmness is precisely what I thought button-cookies required).
4. do my underparts truly look overbaked?
5. even if they were stated as "sugar-cookie dough" - how was i supposed to know for sure that they weren't referring to their own unique sugar-cookie dough that's specifically geared for buttons?
6. the smartschoolhouse cookies look rather breakable to me. Might not the button-holes break open if ribbons are tugged by kids? Besides, I don't have a shot glass, nor do i relish the risk of rushing to press & punch holes in already-baked cookies. ...I.E. must it be a choice between "ughy firm dough that's unbreakable" or "yummy soft dough that can break"?
7. the YT video i posted isn't so clear, due to no narration. For example, my dough was pretty similar in degree of firmness to that which the YT video seems to depict. Furthermore, the way they're pressing down to make the inner-concentric indentation, nearly looks as if they're piercing thru the cookie! That's why vocal clarification might have helped.

------------------------

With that said:

I appreciate some of the above tips, such as refrigerating the dough (thanks Eileen, Patriciae, Chloebud), and also confirmation of my suspicions that my cracked circumference may be due to too-firm, less-pliable dough. (Thanks Annie!)

Carolb much thanks for the recipe, though perhaps people prefer softer cookies? (myself included)

@ maifleur - I have a number of faux gingerbread ornaments I made many years ago from cardboard cutouts, with white caulk used as 'icing', and beads for sprinkles and dragees.

And every rolled cookie I've ever made requires the dough to be chilled before you can work with it.

You also want to chill the cut-out cookies before baking. This is supposed to help them hold their shape and not spread. Some of these cookies seem like they'd lose the indentation when baked if they aren't chilled.

Joy of Baking is a reputable source and has a button cookie video. She uses shortbread. She chills the dough before and after rolling out and after cutting out the cookies. She cautions not to add more flour when rolling it out.

You could easily halve the recipe to see if it's what you want.

https://www.joyofbaking.com/shortbreads/ShortbreadButtons.html

do my underparts truly look overbaked?

Do you bake on parchment paper? I love parchment because it gives an evenly browned bottom and prevents burnt bottoms as long as you keep a close eye on them in the last minute or two.

Not all brown sugars are created equal. What kind did you use? Some would behave similarly to white granulated or caster while others would substantially change the flavour and texture. Adding extra flour will also change the texture. It can make a dough tough or hard. I suspect that’s why the margin cracked. Finally, it is easy to over bake cookies. Sometimes you need to keep your nerve and take them out slightly before you think they're done. They crisp up as they cool.

I've always used C&H brown sugar but bought the store brand last month. I made cinnamon rolls with it and the cinnamon sugar filling turned to caramel and leaked out through the bottoms. I had sticky buns. I remember reading that some brown sugar producers add molasses back to processed white sugar, so I think they may have added too much molasses. It was a very moist brown sugar. I won't use it again for baking.

I used Bowl & Basket dark-brown sugar. (Shoprite brand)

Eileen, thanks!! I believe I read that "cornstarch" is what prevents dough spreading, so isn't it redundant for joyofbaking to refrigerate (prior-to-oven)? With that said, both yours and carolb's recipes look like potential. I'm surprised joyofbaking's apron didn't also feature buttons to match her cookies & costume!

Seeing those multi-colors, I began researching turmeric cookies, as those would be healthy and colorful. For example, would these cutouts be suitable as buttons?

TURMERIC CUTOUT COOKIES: https://www.unamericanaincucina.com/en/2019/12/turmeric-cutout-cookies/

Then there's these, whose various commenters are very very interesting. Such as explaining the cookie-centers turn red due to the turmeric encountering alkaline, and would turn yellow, if in contact with acid. See:

TURMERIC SUGAR COOKIES: https://food52.com/recipes/77819-turmeric-sugar-cookies

But the cutest (albeit learning-curve to grasp), are the following. In fact, one of the commenters wished to make these for family wedding:

TIGER-STRIPED COOKIES: https://www.susanspungen.com/recipes/tiger-striped-sables

Below are pics consecutively corresponding with above links:

French sables are a good cookie to make. One of my favorite, fool-proof cookies is a slice and bake log, and it has only egg yolk in it, like the sables recipe you linked here. The marbling sounds easy to do. I would try a gel food color for the blue, or whatever color you want.

“You also want to chill the cut-out cookies before baking.”

It’s something I always do. Also, the type of cookie sheet can make a difference. Years ago I bought some of those “insulated“ cookie sheets. I needed to make a lot of cut-out sugar cookies for an event, and they simply would not hold their shape on the insulated sheets. It took me awhile to figure out the problem. Those particular cookie sheets took longer to heat up resulting in the irritating spreading.

Hi, my below followup Qs are bold.

So Eileen, you're suggesting tiger-striped "sable-cookie" buttons as much as the pink/green joyofcooking recipe? It's funny, but until now, I always thought that egg-whites may not be omitted in baked goods, at risk of there not being a binder.

So i'm curious, since there's only yolks, what's holding the tiger-cookies together?

To both Eileen & chloebud:

Since you both replied so soon after i posted, you may have missed the Q i just now inserted within the post above Eileen's, namely:

I believe I read that "cornstarch" is what prevents dough spreading, so isn't it redundant for joyofbaking to refrigerate (prior-to-oven)?

Corn starch will make a cookie really tender and breakable, that’s for certain. I always chill a cookie dough and especially for rolled and cut types.

The egg yolk holds the cookie together.

I think the marbled would make cute buttons if the other color was a softer color than that blue. To give you an idea:

But they don't really say "Christmas" in those colors, but then neither does yellow.

Jally, I just came across this recipe for marbled ginger and tumeric cookies in the NY Times.

https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1021187-marbled-shortbread-with-ginger-and-turmeric

Here's an accessible copy of the ingredients.

https://www.copymethat.com/r/dLybY7ZO8/marbled-shortbread-with-ginger-and-turme/

I had seen that, Eileen, but I'm intolerant to ginger. I've also been wondering if shortbread (being soft and crumbly) may be more likely to crumble from the button-holes, especially if ribbon is threaded through? As compared to, say, a bar-cookie, or a biscuit-type-cookie...

I would try the sables because a slice and bake cookie has to be firm enough to slice. My egg yolk cookies are firm and puff up slightly when baked. They hold their shape because they are baked cold right out of the fridge.

I compared my dependable slice and bake cookies to the tiger-striped tumeric dough recipe. It's almost identical. The difference is mine uses 1/8 teaspoon of baking soda instead of 1/4 teaspoon of baking powder and 1/2 cup of sugar instead of 1/4 cup plus 1 tbsp. They look like the tiger cookies when baked, with a distinct edge and a smooth surface. I would share my recipe but it wouldn't work for button cookies because it also has cornmeal.

I would make just the tumeric portion of the recipe and omit the tumeric to see if it is a good candidate for button cookies. You do notice that that recipe calls for ginger, right? Maybe ginger is needed to complement the tumeric. I assume tumeric has some flavor but maybe it's only for color. You could use a drop or two of lemon extract with the vanilla instead of tumeric.

Here is another sables recipe you could try, by a reputable cookbook author. You don't need to color it though a simple Christmas tree would make a cute button. This one doesn't have any baking powder or soda so might stay flatter. The confectioners sugar could make it softer though.

https://smittenkitchen.com/2022/02/sweetheart-sables/

A cookie cutter company called Foose makes a 1.6" mini Christmas tree cutter. A mazon sells it.

Eileen, thank you so much for your enlightening tips such as about your egg-yolk cookies being firm, and about baking soda acting as leavener. And thanks for the sweetheart recipe, which cookies btw are adorable. The recipe looks simple - which is what i like! As for ginger/pepper in any posted recipes, of course I'd have omitted those, but they were tentative demo's anyway.

(I'm assuming I can substitute the sugar (of sweetheart) with my brown-sugar, which taste I prefer? Naturally, I'd not be making hearts, rather button-hole cookies. I hope I'll be able to find locally some brown gingham 1/4" ribbon. Or polka-dot. Something like this in brown: https://www.walmart.com/ip/1-4-X-25Yard-Gingham-Pull-Bow-String-Ribbon-Pink-Baby-Shower-Favor-Decorating/618986422

Note my O.P. cookies were done because a neighbor got married. And this next batch I was planning for a great-niece, who got engaged (pending wedding).

I don't like the idea of sugary borders (given my various dental saga's I don't wish to promote tooth decay. I also wish to keep them "chewy" and a sugar-crunch border isn't pure-chewy)

So I've been ransacking images for a fridge cookie with an Inner-Concentric circle bordered by a color-contrast Outer-Concentric circle. Whereupon I'd punch two holes into the Inner-Concentric.

All I came up with - was the attached pic, but it was a dead-link, thus no recipe.

Anyway, below is the pic which i said interests me. Any idea how its concentric-border is achieved? I also wish the tiger-author would have provided a video! The only vid's on youtube are of zebra-cookies which aren't even as gorgeous as those tiger ones.

Those do look like buttons with the outer ring. You just roll out the chocolate dough and wrap it around the log. You could use Smitten Kitchen's recipe for checkerboard cookies. She seems to like colored sugar for her borders, which I don't care for either.

https://smittenkitchen.com/2021/12/checkerboard-cookies/

As for subbing brown sugar for white sugar, you've already been warned about it making the dough too soft and sticky. You want these cookies to be crispy. You won't need it for chocolate cookies anyway.

Offray makes 1/8" grosgrain ribbon but it's solid brown. Easier to thread through the cookie though. They have 29 colors.

This came up in a search for autumn ribbon.

https://www.joann.com/place-time-autumn-printed-grosgrain-ribbon-3%2F8in---dots-on-white/18768986.html

FWIW, I often use light brown sugar and it doesn't seem to change the texture. Perhaps consider using brown sugar half and half with regular sugar?

I’ve made the checkerboard cookies Eileen posted, but mine were these from Martha Stewart...her photo. They’re easy to make but time consuming to square off all those little logs of dough.

Wow, Chloebud, I see you're a perfectionst, as they look amazing! Carolb, your suggestion makes perfect sense especially as it would provide more contrast, and so half-and-half it shall be - when I get my act together toward the attempt. I've done the 1st step at least, with the printout of the sweetheart recipe. Next comes these followups:

I see the checkerboard recipe is the same as the sweethearts, except for 1/4 cocoa being swapped for 1/4 flour.

But the marble-cookies above (if you ignore the marblizing, which I can't pull off) appear to be more of a 75/25 ratio of white/brown respectively. I think Smitten's methodology of rolling long strands of brown - then slapping the strands on all around the circumference could work for me. But as for the 75/25 mathematics of the cocoa I'd have to mull that over.

Eileen, thanks for your ribbon research, wow, Joanne's has really great stuff... Thing is, I'd spent a long time today browsing ribbons on Amazon and Ebay, while also shopping for other Amazon goods.

And so I wound up buying the following Offray organza ribbon, because its gold color looked like it could match potential future projects I might attempt:

https://www.amazon.com/Offray-Berwick-796069-Simply-Asiana/dp/B007G5OZJO

Here's what i wound up baking. While chloebud used Martha Stewart's checkerboard, I think next time I'd rather try adapting Jessica Silva "Cute as a Button Cookies", because they call for more sugar, and also I'm nervous about Martha's lemon-extract, as acid can be allergenic for me.

They look great!

Thanks chloebud! :) Here's how I packed them for freezer, with more wrapping added. If I could do it over, I'd have punched holes in the blonde-part of checkered cookies (not the choco-part). For 2 reasons:

1. Had the blonde-checkers been hole-punched instead, the gold organza would have not gotten dirty after pulling it through the choco holes
2. Had the blonde-checkers been hole-punched instead, the gold organza would have offered more contrast, as it would have been above the choco-checkers, rather than the blonde-checkers.