These Miso Butter Cookies (味噌バタークッキー) might not be your ordinary butter cookies. However, I must tell you that they are dangerously addictive, especially if you enjoy a hint of salt in your sweets. They are light, crisp, and have the perfect balance of sweetness and saltiness. Go on, bake a batch, and get ready to be smitten today!

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

Made with 7 pantry ingredients! Just the right amount of sweetness So buttery! Deliciously savory from the miso Nutty and crunchy from sesame seeds Crisp on the edges, with a perfect crumb and texture Fairly quick, with just 30 minutes of chill time A great dessert or snack for Asian-themed meals or parties

7 Pantry-Friendly Ingredients for Miso Butter Cookies

How to Make Miso Butter Cookies

These butter cookies are so simple to make, especially for a beginner baker. You just need to follow these 3 easy steps:

  • You can also make the recipe for cut out cookies. Form the dough into a disc, wrap and chill then roll out to ¼–½ inch, slice, and bake.

5 Tips to Make Delicious Miso Butter Cookies

Itadakimasu!

Enjoy the miso butter cookies with hojicha, green tea, or buckwheat tea (sobacha)! They are the perfect afternoon treat.

2. Use Room Temperature Eggs and Butter

It’s crucial that your eggs and butter are at room temperature so the ingredients blend more evenly and cohesively. Did you forget to take out the eggs and butter from the refrigerator? Here are two quick tricks I learned from my daughter, the home baker in my family:

Eggs: Soak the cold eggs in warm water for 10–15 minutes. Butter: Microwave 5 seconds for each long side of the stick and turn (total 20 seconds; our microwave is 1000W).

Chilling the dough intensifies its flavor and retains its shape in the oven. Hold tight for just 30 minutes. You can preheat the oven and clean up the kitchen while your dough chills. Then you can simply slice (no cookie scoop needed) and bake!

4. Use a Light-Colored Baking Sheet

I strongly encourage you to use a light-colored aluminum baking sheet that conducts heat uniformly so your cookies and pastries brown evenly. I had success testing this recipe on an aluminized steel baking sheet as well. You will not have the same result if you use another type of baking sheet with a dark-colored surface. In the past, I’ve burned the bottom of my baked goods on a dark-colored carbon steel baking sheet, so I highly discourage using this kind of pan.

5. Check Your Oven‘s Temperature

The actual temperature inside your oven may differ from the display setting. Therefore, I encourage you to check your oven‘s temperature with an oven thermometer. Every oven is different; please adjust your setting to achieve the correct actual temperature. Also, I tested this recipe in a full-sized oven. Your baked goods may cook faster and burn if you use a countertop (or other small) oven. Closely monitor your baking and be ready to adjust the bake time if needed.

Using Miso (Japanese Soybean Paste) in Sweets

Beyond miso soup and savory dishes, the Japanese fermented soybean paste is embraced by pastry chefs and home bakers alike as a secret ingredient. It adds an unexpected umami richness and balances the sugar in baked goods in the best way possible. For these Miso Butter Cookies, I used Organic White Miso from Hikari Miso®. The mild and mellow white miso paste amps up the delicious buttery flavor in these cookies without the use of vanilla extract or brown butter. You wouldn’t even notice the miso is there. Your cookies will have a slightly different taste and color if you use a different type of miso. If you’re using dashi-included miso or red miso, reduce the amount to control the saltiness and sodium. Where can I buy Hikari Miso® miso? 

Other Delicious Cookie Recipes You’ll Enjoy

Cherry Blossom Cookies Green Tea Cookies (Matcha Cookies) Black Sesame Cookies Meyer Lemon Sable Cookies Chinese Almond Cookies Chocolate Chip Cookies with Nutella Peanut Butter and Chocolate Chip Cookie recipe

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