Sugar Cookies Recipe
These melt-in-your-mouth Sugar Cookies Recipe treats are soft, buttery, and perfect for decorating—no complicated techniques required, just pure homemade joy.
Ingredients
- 3 cups all-purpose flour spoon & level; sub 1:1 gluten-free blend
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
- 1 cup unsalted butter softened (Vermont Creamery or your fave; sub vegan butter)
- 1 cup granulated sugar organic cane sugar for brighter flavor
- 1 large egg room temperature (for vegan: 1 flax egg = 1 Tbsp flaxseed meal + 2½ Tbsp water)
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract Madagascar or Nielsen-Massey
- ½ teaspoon almond extract optional, for a nutty note
- ¼ cup powdered sugar for rolling, optional
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Line two baking sheets with parchment or silicone liners to prevent sticking and spreading.
- In a large bowl, beat butter and granulated sugar on medium speed until pale and fluffy, about 2–3 minutes. Scrape bowl sides halfway through.
- Beat in the egg, vanilla, and almond extract (if using) until just combined—overmixing can toughen cookies.
- Whisk flour, baking powder, and salt in a separate bowl. Add to wet ingredients on low speed until no streaks remain; dough should feel soft but hold together.
- Shape dough into two disks, wrap in plastic, and chill 30–120 minutes. Chilling firms it up for cleaner cuts and less spreading.
- On a lightly floured surface, roll dough to 1/8-inch thickness. Dust cookie cutters with flour and cut shapes, then transfer 1 inch apart to prepared sheets.
- Bake 8–10 minutes, rotating pans halfway. Cookies should barely brown at edges—they’ll firm up as they cool.
- Let cookies rest on the sheet 2 minutes, then move to wire racks to cool completely before decorating or dusting with powdered sugar.
Notes
• Don’t overmix flour—stop when it disappears.
• For super-even thickness, use rolling pin rings or dowels.
• I weigh ingredients for consistency—consider a kitchen scale.
• Longer chill yields crisper edges; shorten for softer cookies.
• For super-even thickness, use rolling pin rings or dowels.
• I weigh ingredients for consistency—consider a kitchen scale.
• Longer chill yields crisper edges; shorten for softer cookies.
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