Best Sugar Recipe
Today we have come up with an amazing and easy sugar cookie recipe to make that is quite delicious and everyone loves it. It has sharp crunchy edges and it is thick from the middle and you can do lots of decorating icing on it. Now do not hesitate and just move along with me to dive into the best sugar recipe.
Why You’ll Love These Sugar Cookies
- Crunchy, crispy, and soft sugar cookie recipe from the middle
- Vanilla flavour that makes it more delicious
- Flavor with extra ones like maple, cinnamon, and much more
- Does not lose shape
- Can Add icing on its surface
- It remains soft for longer durations
Freezes perfectly
Sugar Cookies
The Trick Is the Order of Steps
To keep cookies from spreading too much, it’s best to roll out the dough before freezing it. Don’t chill the dough first because it gets too hard to roll. I recommend cutting the dough in half, as smaller pieces are easier to work with.
You can roll out the dough on a silicone mat or parchment paper. This makes it easier to move to the refrigerator. Once rolled out, place the dough on a baking sheet and then put it in the fridge. If you don’t have space for two baking sheets, you can stack the rolled-out pieces on top of each other.
How to Make Sugar Cookies with Icing
- Make the Dough: You need about 7-8 ingredients. Cream together butter and sugar, add an egg for structure, and vanilla extract for flavor. A little almond extract makes it even better! Then mix in flour, baking powder, and a pinch of salt.
- Divide the Dough: Split the dough into two pieces to make it easier to roll out.
- Roll Out the Dough: Roll it out to about 1/4 inch thick. If you have trouble making it even, an adjustable rolling pin can help.
- Chill the Dough: Chill the rolled-out dough in the fridge for at least 1-2 hours, or up to 2 days, so the cookies keep their shape when baked.
- Cut Shapes: Use cookie cutters to make fun shapes. I recommend Ann Clark cookie cutters. Some good shapes are hearts, dog bones, snowflakes, snowmen, leaves, and pumpkins.
- Bake and Cool: Bake the cookies for about 12 minutes, depending on their size, and let them cool.
- Decorate: Once cooled, decorate with icing! Check out my icing suggestions and decorating tips for help.
Have a little flour nearby when you’re rolling out the cookie dough. Keep your work surface, hands, and rolling pin lightly floured. This is a relatively soft dough
Best Icing For Sugar Cookies
I have two simple icing recipes for sugar cookies. You can choose the one that suits you best!
- Favorite Royal Icing: This is my go-to icing because it’s easy to use, dries in 1-2 hours, and tastes good—not like hard cement! It uses meringue powder instead of raw egg whites, which means you don’t need fresh eggs. You can find meringue powder in baking aisles, most craft stores with baking sections, or online. One 8-ounce tub lasts a long time. Getting the right consistency can be tricky, but I have a video to help you.
- Easy Cookie Icing: This icing is perfect for beginners. It’s simpler to make than royal icing since you don’t need an electric mixer, and the consistency doesn’t need to be perfect for good results. However, it doesn’t allow for the same sharp details in decorations. It takes about 24 hours to dry completely.
Sugar Cookie Tips & Tools
Before I share the recipe, here are some useful tools for making sugar cookies. These are the exact items I use and it is a simple sugar cookie recipe:
- Electric Mixer: You can use either a handheld mixer or a stand mixer.
- Baking Sheets: Use these to bake your cookies.
- Silicone Baking Mats or Parchment Paper: These help prevent cookies from sticking to the baking sheets.
- Rolling Pin: A regular rolling pin works, but an adjustable one can help roll the dough evenly.
- Food Coloring: Instead of liquid, use gel food coloring to avoid changing the icing’s consistency. For the example cookies, I used dusty rose and a drop of sky blue. The Americolor Soft Gel Paste Color Kit is great for a variety of colors.
- Piping Tips/Squeeze Bottle: If you’re using royal icing, I suggest Wilton piping tip #4 for outlining and filling in. For easy glaze icing, a squeeze bottle is best.
- Piping Bag: Use a disposable or reusable piping bag if you’re using a piping tip with royal icing.
- Couplers: These are useful if you have different colors of icing but only one tip, as they let you switch the tip between bags easily.
- Cookie Cutters: I recommend a heart-shaped cookie cutter, but you can use any shape you like!
Here’s What You Can Do With This Dough
- Make cookies for Christmas
- Make best holiday cookies
- Make cookie sandwiches with striped fudge
Make snowman cookies - Make cinnamon roll cookies
Make stained glass window cookies - Make cookies for valentines day
- Make maple cinnamon cut-out cookies
- Make cookies for events and parties
- Make fireworks cookies
- Make Watermelon Sugar Cookies
- You can also check out cream cheese cookies with a hint of Nutella or add chocolate buttercream frosting.
You might also like cream cheese cookies with a bit of Nutella!
Soft Sugar Cookie Recipe(Cut-Out)
- Prep Time: 2 hours and 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 12 minutes
- Total Time: 4 hours and 45 minutes (including cooling)
- Makes: 24 cookies (3-4 inches each)
Description
These soft sugar cookies have crisp edges and thick centers, perfect for lots of decorating icing. You’ll love them! The number of cookies you make will depend on the size of your cookie cutter. If you want to make a lot for a big group, just double the recipe.
Ingredients
- 2 and 1/4 cups (281g) all-purpose flour: Use this much flour, plus a little more for rolling the dough and your work area.
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 3/4 cup (170g) unsalted butter: Make sure it’s soft and at room temperature.
- 3/4 cup (150g) granulated sugar
- 1 large egg: Let it sit at room temperature.
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 1/4 or 1/2 teaspoon almond extract: This is optional, but it really enhances the flavor!
For Decorating
- Royal Icing or Easy Glaze Icing: (The picture shows royal icing.)
- Assorted Sprinkles: Various kinds of sprinkles.
Cook Mode: Keep your screen from turning off while you work.
Instructions
- Mix Dry Ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Set it aside.
- Cream Butter and Sugar: In a large bowl, use a hand mixer or stand mixer with a paddle attachment to beat the butter and sugar on high until smooth and creamy, about 2 minutes. Add the egg, vanilla, and almond extract (if using) and mix on high for about 1 minute. Scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl and mix again if needed.
- Combine Wet and Dry Ingredients: Add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture and mix on low until combined. The dough will be a bit soft. If it’s too sticky to roll, add 1 more tablespoon of flour.
- Divide and Roll Dough: Split the dough into 2 equal parts. Place each part on a piece of lightly floured parchment paper or silicone mat. Use a floured rolling pin to roll the dough to about 1/4 inch thick. Use more flour if the dough is sticky. You can make any shape, as long as it’s evenly 1/4 inch thick.
- Chill the Dough: Lightly dust one rolled-out dough with flour and place a piece of parchment paper on top to prevent sticking. Put the second rolled-out dough on top, cover with plastic wrap or aluminum foil, and refrigerate for at least 1-2 hours or up to 2 days.
- Preheat Oven: Once chilled, preheat the oven to 350°F (177°C). Line 2-3 large baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone mats.
- Cut Out Cookies: Carefully take the top dough piece from the fridge. If it sticks, gently run your hand under it. Use a cookie cutter to cut out shapes. Re-roll any leftover dough and keep cutting until all the dough is used. Do the same with the second piece of dough.
- Bake Cookies: Place cookies on baking sheets about 3 inches apart. Bake for 11-12 minutes or until the edges are lightly browned. If your oven has hot spots, rotate the baking sheet halfway through. Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely before decorating.
- Decorate: Once the cookies are cool, decorate them with royal icing or easy cookie icing. You can add gel food coloring to the icing if you want. There’s no need to cover the cookies while the icing sets. For faster setting, decorate the cookies on a baking sheet and then refrigerate.
- Enjoy or Store: You can eat the cookies right away or wait for the icing to set. Once the icing is set, these cookies are great for gifts. Plain or decorated cookies stay soft for about 5 days if stored tightly at room temperature. For longer storage, cover and refrigerate for up to 10 days.
Notes
- Freezing Instructions:
- Plain or decorated sugar cookies can be frozen for up to 3 months. Wait until the icing is completely set before stacking the cookies with parchment paper in between and placing them in a freezer-safe container. To thaw, put them in the refrigerator or leave them at room temperature. You can also freeze the cookie dough for up to 3 months before rolling it out. To do this, follow the steps up to step 3, divide the dough in half, flatten each half into a disk like a pie crust, wrap them in plastic wrap, and freeze. To thaw, put the disks in the fridge, then let them come to room temperature for about 1 hour. After that, roll out the dough as you would in step 4 and chill the rolled-out dough in the fridge for 45 minutes to 1 hour before cutting shapes and baking.Special Tools:
- You might need these items:
- Electric mixer (handheld or stand)
- Baking sheets
- Silicone mats or parchment paper
- Wooden or adjustable rolling pin
- Heart-shaped cookie cutter
- Americolor soft gel food coloring kit
- Piping bags (disposable or reusable)
- Couplers (for decorating)
- Wilton Tip #4 (for piping)
- Squeeze bottle
- Room Temperature:
- Room temperature butter is very important. If your dough is too sticky, your butter might have been too soft. Proper room-temperature butter feels cool to the touch. It’s also best to use room temperature eggs so they mix evenly into the dough.
- Flavors:
- I like adding 1/2 teaspoon of almond extract for flavor. If you want a milder flavor, use 1/4 teaspoon. You can also try 1 teaspoon of other extracts like maple, coconut, lemon, or peppermint. For a spiced flavor, add 1 teaspoon of pumpkin pie spice or ground cinnamon. If you use lemon extract, you can add 1 tablespoon of lemon zest too.
- Icing:
- You can use royal icing or my easy cookie icing. Check the earlier post to learn about the differences between them.
- Also, be sure to see my top 5 cookie baking tips and my 10 must-have cookie baking tools.
Summary:
This sugar cookie recipe offers a delightful balance of crunchy edges and a soft center, making it perfect for decorating with various icings and sprinkles. With a straightforward method that emphasizes the importance of chilling the dough and using the right tools, these cookies maintain their shape and flavor beautifully. The recipe includes options for both royal icing and an easy glaze, catering to different skill levels in decorating. Additionally, the cookies can be customized with various extracts and spices, making them suitable for any occasion, from holidays to parties. Whether enjoyed fresh or frozen for later, these sugar cookies are sure to be a hit with everyone!
