This sugar cookies recipe is the one one I take advantage of – particularly for holidays like Christmas! The recipe is easy and the dough is ideal for cut-out cookie adorning with no chill time wanted! For those who’re searching for a foolproof, buttery sugar cookie recipe that is it.
One of the vital frequent questions I get from readers is: “Do you have got an ideal sugar cookie recipe?”
And the reply is YES! This cut-out sugar cookie recipe is the one I’ve been utilizing for 14 years. I haven’t deviated from this recipe since I began making it so a few years in the past as a result of its perfection. I’m CRAZY enthusiastic about as we speak! I exhibiting you how one can make sugar cookies from scratch!
Why You’ll Love This Sugar Cookies Recipe
Straightforward. You don’t have to be an knowledgeable cookie maker to bake up these cookies.
Tasty. The flavour is buttery and scrumptious! The perimeters are crisp and candy, and the facilities are comfortable with a young texture.
No Chill. The dough doesn’t have to be chilled earlier than rolling and chopping out shapes.
Good for Adorning. These cookies maintain crisp edges when baked. They’re excellent for all shapes of cookie cutters and adorning.
Ingredient Notes
You’ll solely want a couple of elements to make these basic sugar cookies. Right here’s a fast listing with my notes to ensure you have all the things. (See the recipe card on the backside of this submit for particular quantities.)
Butter. I take advantage of salted butter, however that’s a private choice. For those who desire unsalted, or that’s all you have got completely use that.
Vanilla. I at all times suggest utilizing pure vanilla extract.
Granulated Sugar
Eggs
Dry Substances: Baking Powder, All Objective Flour, and Kosher Salt. For those who don’t have kosher you should use desk salt, however I might suggest chopping again on the quantity by half so that you don’t over-salt your cookies. Desk salt is a finer grain than kosher, so you’ll find yourself with extra.
Powdered Sugar. The bottom of the icing.
Water
Gentle Corn Syrup. Sweetens the icing and provides the shiny texture.
Variation Concepts
Strive a unique taste profile. You need to use almond extract…or coconut, or rum, or perhaps a citrus like lemon or orange extract. All these would style nice! Begin through the use of 1/2 teaspoon and enhance the quantity to style. Almond extract is a stronger taste than vanilla and I discover you should use rather less.
Add some mini chocolate chips. Minis will nonetheless work with cookie cutters and can bake up superbly on this recipe.
Combine in some nuts. Add chopped nuts like pecans, walnuts, and even pistachios. Be sure that they’re finely chopped in order that they don’t intrude along with your cookie cutters.
Use brown sugar instead of granulated. This may trigger the cookies to unfold barely greater than granulated because of the moisture content material, however not in an unlimited method. You may solely discover that is you’re utilizing an intricate cutter.
Ideas for the Finest Sugar Cookies
Don’t substitute margarine or butter flavored shortening. I typically even splurge on a flowery European butter when making these sugar cookies, as a result of there’s a greater fats content material, and whereas it’s not nice on your thighs, it does assist produce a extra scrumptious, wealthy cookie!
Use high quality elements. While you’re making sugar cookies, you need them to style good, proper? So ensure you’re prime quality butter and vanilla particularly. These are the 2 flavors that actually shine via, so use contemporary butter and good vanilla!
Use a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. You need to use a hand mixer for those who desire, however making these cookies with out a mixer is tough since you wish to cream your butter and sugar collectively for two minutes. AND there may be plenty of flour in these, and the dough can get onerous to combine by hand.
Work with sections of dough at a time. Divide the dough into sections when rolling it out to deal with the dough much less. The extra you deal with it, the hotter it will get, and the much less the cookies will maintain their form. You’ll be able to refrigerate the opposite sections of dough whilst you work with one.
Bake roughly the identical sized cookies. Whereas it’s enjoyable to get out all of your totally different vacation cookie cutters, strive your greatest to make use of uniformly sized shapes that method every batch will bake evenly. Because you’re diving the dough into 3 sections this can be a smart way to make use of 3 cutters for every batch. That method you have got selection, but additionally will guarantee even baking!
Don’t fear about spreading. In fact you don’t wish to overcrowd the cookie sheet since you want air circulation, however you don’t have to go away plenty of house in between the cookies, as they don’t unfold a lot!
Do You Must Chill Sugar Cookie Dough?
Okay, let’s discuss. Chilling cookie dough is annoying. I get it. SO, this lower out sugar cookie recipe requires ZERO chilling. Are you excited? Let’s discuss what which means…
Use chilly butter: To make the cookie dough barely chilled proper when it’s made. Simply dice the chilly butter if you combine it along with your sugar and it will likely be high quality! You combine the butter and sugar collectively for two minutes, so all the things shall be blended. Simply be certain to scrape the edges of the blending bowl as vital so all the things is mixed evenly.
Can I chill the dough if I wish to? In case you are prepping your vacation baking upfront and would favor to sit back the dough so you have got issues made forward you ABSOLUTELY can. It isn’t going to harm the dough.
What about complicated cookie shapes? Does chilling assist? What in case you are utilizing a VERY intricate cookie cutter and wish to ensure you have exact edges? If I’m utilizing a really detailed cutter what I’ll do is make the dough, roll it out, lower out my cookie and pop it within the fridge to sit back for 30 or so minutes. This isn’t vital, however for those who’re involved, it’s a step that may’t harm.
Why Are My Lower Out Sugar Cookies Too Darkish?
This can be a quite common concern I get from readers, whether or not it’s this sugar cookie recipe recipe or every other cookie recipe. Cookie will both get too darkish, or not darkish sufficient. In fact bake time issues – overbaking and underbaking can lead to too darkish or not darkish sufficient cookies.
However the most typical perpetrator? Utilizing the flawed cookie sheet! Listed below are some issues to bear in mind when selecting one of the best cookie sheet on your lower out sugar cookies:
My favourite cookie sheet:THIS COOKIE SHEET has been my tried and true for years and years. I personal 2 and they’re my favourite. They’re thought of a “nonstick cookie sheet” however I take advantage of parchment paper to line the pan. My cookies bake evenly with the proper quantity of golden brown.
Lighter-colored baking sheets: These are likely to make your cookies unfold a bit extra they usually don’t give a golden edge as simply, particularly with cut-out cookies.
Darker-colored baking sheets: Darker, skinny baking sheet provides you with a golden edge, and your cookies received’t unfold almost as a lot, supplying you with exact edges.
Parchment paper or silicone mats: These assist with even baking and forestall the cookies from browning too quick.
Can I Make These Cookies Forward?
If you wish to make all of the dough and lower out all of the shapes earlier than baking you may place the cup out dough onto your prepped baking sheets and pop these within the fridge till you’re able to bake. This can be a nice possibility when you have got a busy cookie baking day across the holidays. In fact having further cookie sheets helps!
How one can Retailer Sugar Cookies
Retailer your cookies in an hermetic container on the counter at room temperature. They are going to maintain for as much as 5 days, although I feel you’ll eat all of them properly earlier than then. Be aware that in case you have iced them ensure you give the icing time to totally set and harden earlier than you stack the cookies in a container.
Can I Freeze Sugar Cookies?
YES!! You’ll be able to completely freeze sugar cookies (or the dough)! Right here’s how…
Baked sugar cookies. Enable the sugar cookies to chill fully, then switch to a freezer-safe container or ziploc bag, with parchment paper separating the layers. Be aware that it’s best to freeze your Christmas sugar cookies earlier than adorning.
Sugar cookie dough. Alternatively, you may freeze the dough for later. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap then place in a ziploc bag.
How lengthy do frozen sugar cookies final? Both the frozen dough or frozen baked cookies shall be good for 30 days in your freezer.
This Sugar Cookie Recipe is the one lower out cookie recipe I take advantage of. I’ve been baking these cookies for years and have discovered it’s essentially the most scrumptious and foolproof lower out cookie recipe ever!
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and put aside.
Within the bowl of your stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment combine the butter and sugar collectively on medium velocity for two minutes till gentle and fluffy.
Add within the eggs, vanilla, baking powder, and salt and proceed mixing till mixed and easy, scraping the edges of bowl as vital.
Flip the mixer velocity to low and add within the flour, mixing till the dough comes collectively.
Divide the dough into 3 sections and on a floured working floor roll the dough to 1/3 inch thick. Utilizing a cookie cutter, lower out shapes of the dough along with your desired cutter(s) and place the cookies on the ready baking sheet 1½ inches aside. In case you are baking in batches, maintain the unused dough within the fridge till prepared to make use of to forestall dough from getting too heat.
Bake cookies for 8-10 minutes till the perimeters are flippantly golden. Enable the cookies to chill on the baking sheet for five minutes after which switch them to a wire rack to chill fully.
Icing:
In a bowl, whisk collectively the powdered sugar, water, and corn syrup till easy.
Unfold or pipe onto cooled cookies. You need to use a drop of meals coloring to realize totally different colours. Enable the icing to arrange fully earlier than storing.
Notes
You’ll be able to chill the dough if desired, earlier than or after chopping the cookies out. See ideas within the submit for all the main points.
Retailer hermetic at room temperature for as much as 5 days.
Vitamin
Serving Measurement:1 cookie with out icing
Energy:323
Sugar:16.8 g
Sodium:58.4 mg
Fats:16.1 g
Carbohydrates:41.2 g
Protein:3.9 g
Ldl cholesterol:56.2 mg
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