The Only Sugar Cookie Recipe You’ll Ever Need
DON'T FIX IT
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IF IT AIN'T BROKE
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DON'T FIX IT 〰️ IF IT AIN'T BROKE 〰️
I took a cookie decorating class from Marin Cake Studio and the cookie obsession has been clinical ever since. Shoutout Linden for dragging us to that fateful class back in November. They advised we use Sally’s Baking Addiction classic sugar cookie recipe and, well, no notes. It’s perfect. See my minor tweaks to save you on a few extra dirty dishes, below.
These cookies are an easy and rewarding step-by-step. And simple, and effective royal icing designs are all you need! The only reason this has a MEDIUM EFFORT scoring is because, if you’re anything like me, you can get over-invested in the decorating, really quickly (see: tiny little icing dots everywhere). So, take it easy, don’t go overboard, and pick icing designs that you’re excited about.
INGREDIENTS
3/4 cup unsalted butter, softened to room temperature (MUST be softened)
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1 large egg, at room temperature
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon almond extract
2 and 1/4 cups all-purpose flour, plus more as needed for rolling out & work surface
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
DIRECTIONS
In a large bowl using a handheld or a stand mixer, beat the butter and sugar together on high speed until the mixture is light and creamy, 2-3 minutes. Add the egg, vanilla, and almond extract and beat on high speed until combined. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl to ensure it's combined.
Add the dry ingredients next, in the same bowl on top of the wet ingredients, the flour, baking powder, and salt and mix again on low speed until combined. The dough will be soft. If it seems too soft and sticky for rolling, beat in 1 more tablespoon of flour.
Divide the dough in half with you hands. Tear four pieces of parchments paper (top and bottom for each piece of dough). Place each portion on a piece of lightly floured parchment paper. Lightly flour the top of the dough ball, and place another piece of parchment on top. With a rolling pin, roll the dough to about 1/4-inch thickness in between the parchment paper. Use a bit more flour if the dough seems to get too sticky. The rolled-out dough can be any shape, as long as it is evenly 1/4 inch thick. Once it's the thickness you want, peel back the parchment paper to "release it" before chilling. Do this on both sides, carefully flipping the dough over to release the other side of parchment paper.
Lightly dust the rolled-out dough portions with flour while you're releasing the parchment paper (preventing sticking). Stack both rolled-out dough portions, still in between their parchment papers, one on top of the other. Refrigerate both, lying stacked and flat, for at least 2 hours and up to 2 days.
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line large baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats (I use baking mats).
Carefully remove the top piece of dough from the refrigerator. If it’s sticking to the bottom, run your hand under it to help remove it. Using a cookie cutter, cut the dough into shapes. Gather the scraps and set aside to reroll (you get a lot of cookies from the dough scraps, like almost half of the whole batch). Repeat with the second piece of dough. Arrange the cookies 3 inches apart on the prepared baking sheets.
Bake for 11–12 minutes or until the edges of the cookies are very lightly browned and set. If your oven has hot spots, rotate the baking sheets halfway through bake time. Allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to a cooling rack to cool completely before decorating.
After you’ve cut out the shapes from the two pieces of dough and you get those in the oven, you can turn your attention to combining the scrape dough and reroll it into another sheet of dough (sandwiched inbetween a top and bottom piece of parchment again). The scrape dough will be quite soft now, so refrigerate it while the first round bakes.
Repeat the scrape dough process (reroll with parchment paper, dusting with flour as needed, refrigerate, cut out, bake), until you’ve used all the remaining dough.
Decorate the cooled cookies with royal icing. Tint any of the icings with gel or natural food coloring (think, elderberry extract). Do not cover or stack the cookies as you wait for the icing to set. If it’s helpful, decorate the cookies directly on a baking sheet so you can place the entire batch in the refrigerator to help speed up the icing setting.
Enjoy cookies right away or wait until the icing sets to serve them. Once the icing has set, these cookies are great for travelling or gifting. Store plain or iced cookies covered tightly at room temperature for up to a week. For longer storage, cover and refrigerate for up to two weeks.
GEAR - NICE TO HAVES
Hand mixer - there’s simply never enough counter space for a standing mixer, so let’s keep it simple!
Parchment paper - buy in bulk, you can never have enough
Silicone baking mats - off brand is fine (silpat is expensive)
Cookie cutters in basic shapes, numbers, holiday, novelty - if you have an idea, roll with it!
Meringue powder - for royal icing
Gel food dyes - for royal icing
Small piping bags & icing scribe tools - for decorating fun
Cookie “marker” for outlining designs - if you’re designs start to get sneaky intricate (guilty as charged)