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The Best Sugar Cookies Recipe

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★★★★★

4.9 from 74 reviews

These classic sugar cookies are tender, buttery, and perfectly sweet with a hint of almond extract. Rolled to 1/4-inch thickness and baked until edges are lightly browned, they create an ideal canvas for decorating with royal icing, cookie buttercream, or glaze. Perfect for baking and decorating during holidays or celebrations, these cookies store well and are easy to customize with sprinkles and food coloring.

Ingredients

Scale

Dry Ingredients

  • 2 and 1/4 cups (281g) all-purpose flour (spooned & leveled), plus more as needed for rolling and work surface
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt

Wet Ingredients

  • 3/4 cup (12 Tbsp; 170g) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
  • 3/4 cup (150g) granulated sugar
  • 1 large egg, at room temperature
  • 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
  • 1/4 teaspoon almond extract (optional, but makes the flavor outstanding)

For Decorating

  • Royal Icing, Easy Glaze Icing, or Cookie Buttercream (royal icing is pictured)
  • Assorted sprinkles

Instructions

  1. Mix Dry Ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside this combined dry mixture.
  2. Cream Butter and Sugar: Using a handheld or stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the softened butter and granulated sugar on high speed until the mixture is light and creamy, about 3 minutes. Add the egg, vanilla extract, and almond extract (if using). Beat again on high speed until fully combined, about 1 minute. Scrape down the bowl sides and beat again if needed.
  3. Combine Dough: Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, mixing on low speed until just combined. The dough should be soft but manageable. If too sticky, add 1 more tablespoon of flour and mix.
  4. Divide and Roll Dough: Divide the dough into two equal halves. Place each half on lightly floured parchment or silicone baking mats. Using a lightly floured rolling pin, roll each portion to about 1/4-inch thickness, making sure the thickness is even and using extra flour as needed to prevent sticking.
  5. Layer and Chill: Dust one rolled-out dough piece lightly with flour to prevent sticking. Place the second rolled-out dough on top of the first. Cover tightly and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, up to 2 days, to firm up the dough for easier cutting.
  6. Preheat Oven and Prepare Baking Sheets: Preheat your oven to 350°F (177°C). Line large baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone mats for baking.
  7. Cut and Arrange Cookies: Remove the dough layers from the fridge. Carefully peel apart the top layer if sticking. Use cookie cutters to cut shapes from the dough. Gather scraps, reroll, and continue cutting shapes until all dough is used. Place cookies 3 inches apart on prepared baking sheets.
  8. Bake Cookies: Bake cookies for 11 to 12 minutes until the edges are lightly browned and set. If your oven has hot spots, rotate the pans halfway through baking. Let cookies cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
  9. Decorate: Once cooled, decorate the cookies with royal icing, easy glaze icing, or buttercream frosting. Tint icings with gel food colors if desired. For faster setting, decorate cookies directly on a baking sheet and refrigerate the entire sheet.
  10. Serve and Store: Enjoy cookies immediately or let the icing set first. Store plain or iced cookies covered tightly at room temperature for up to 5 days, or refrigerate for up to 10 days. If decorated with buttercream, store at room temperature up to 1 day or refrigerate up to 5 days.

Notes

  • If the dough is too sticky, add an additional tablespoon of flour during mixing to make rolling easier.
  • Chilling the dough for at least 2 hours is essential for clean cookie shapes and easier handling.
  • Use parchment paper or silicone mats to prevent sticking and to make transferring cookies easier.
  • Rotate baking sheets halfway through baking to ensure even browning if your oven has hot spots.
  • Decorate cookies once fully cooled to prevent icing from melting.
  • Royal icing sets harder and is best for detailed decorating, while buttercream gives a softer finish.
  • Store decorated cookies in airtight containers; refrigerate if using buttercream frosting to maintain freshness.

Keywords: sugar cookies, classic sugar cookies, vanilla cookies, holiday cookies, butter cookies, cookie decorating, royal icing cookies

Find it online: https://kitchenbyclara.com/the-best-sugar-cookies-recipe/