Classic Butter Sugar Cookies (Printable Version)
Buttery, crisp-edged sugar cookies perfect for decorating or enjoying plain with a glass of milk.
# Ingredient List:
→ Cookie Dough
01 - 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
02 - 1 cup granulated sugar
03 - 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
04 - 1 large egg
05 - 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
06 - 1/2 teaspoon almond extract (optional)
07 - 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
08 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
→ For Decorating (Optional)
09 - 1/2 cup powdered sugar
10 - 1–2 tablespoons milk or water
11 - Food coloring, sprinkles, colored sugar (optional)
# How to Make:
01 - In a large bowl, cream together the softened butter and granulated sugar using an electric mixer until light and fluffy, about 2–3 minutes.
02 - Add the egg, vanilla extract, and almond extract (if using) to the butter mixture. Beat until fully incorporated and smooth.
03 - In a medium bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking powder, and salt until evenly distributed.
04 - Gradually add the dry ingredient mixture to the wet ingredients, mixing on low speed just until the dough comes together. Do not overmix.
05 - Divide the dough into two equal discs, wrap each tightly in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour or until firm.
06 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Line baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside.
07 - On a lightly floured surface, roll out one disc of dough to 1/4 inch thickness. Cut out shapes using cookie cutters and carefully transfer to the prepared baking sheets, spacing about 1 inch apart.
08 - Bake for 8–10 minutes, or until the edges are just beginning to turn golden. For softer cookies, bake closer to 8 minutes; for crunchier cookies, bake up to 10 minutes.
09 - Let the cookies cool on the baking sheets for 5 minutes, then transfer to wire cooling racks to cool completely.
10 - For the icing, whisk together powdered sugar and milk or water until smooth and drizzly. Tint with food coloring if desired. Decorate the fully cooled cookies and let the icing set before serving or storing.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- The edges go golden and crisp while the centers stay soft and tender which is honestly hard to find in a homemade sugar cookie.
- The dough comes together in under twenty minutes and handles like a dream when you roll it out after chilling.
- These hold their shape beautifully so whatever cutter you use actually looks like the thing you intended.
02 -
- Underbaking by about thirty seconds gives you a softer center and the cookies continue to firm up as they cool on the pan so pull them when they still look slightly underdone in the middle.
- Skipping the chill time is the single biggest reason sugar cookies spread into blobs and lose their shape in the oven so please be patient with this step.
03 -
- Roll the dough between two sheets of parchment paper before chilling and you will never need to flour your surface or worry about adding extra flour that toughens the cookies.
- A light brush of water on the back of each sprinkle before pressing it into the raw dough makes them stick through baking without sliding off or creating bald spots.