What I love about sugar cookies are that they are easy to make, shape, decorate, and enjoyed by most. You can make the dough ahead of time — refrigerate up to 2 days in the refrigerator, or even freeze them (up to 3 months) until you need them. I have even made sugar cookie dough and have them away as a gift along with a set of cookie cutters.
I had tried many sugar cookie recipes in the past, but this recipe from Sally’s Baking Addiction, is truly one of my favourites that I have been using since 2020. The cookies have a soft texture and a delightful flavour. So why not give it a try today?
Go to the link above for additional hints and video tutorial.
Ingredients – Sugar Cookies
- 2 and 1/4 cups All-Purpose Flour, plus more as needed for rolling and work surface
- 1/2 teaspoon Baking Powder
- 1/4 teaspoon Salt
- 3/4 cup Unsalted Butter, softened to room temperature
- 3/4 cup Granulated Sugar
- 1 large Egg, at room temperature
- 2 teaspoons Pure Vanilla Extract
- 1/4 or 1/2 teaspoon Almond Extract or Lemon Extract (optional)*
Instructions
- Mix dry ingredients together in a separate bowl — Flour, baking powder and salt. Set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, beat the butter and sugar together. You can use a high speed mixer or by hand until mixture is smooth and creamy. Add the egg, vanilla, and flavoured Extract (if using). Combine well.
- Add the dry ingredients and mix on low until combined. Please note that dough will be relatively soft. If the dough seems too soft/sticky for rolling, add 1 more tablespoon of flour.
- Divide the dough into 2 equal parts. Place each portion onto a lightly floured parchment paper or silicone baking mat. Roll out the dough until about 1/4″ thick. If the dough is sticky, dust with more flour and continue to roll.
- When you reach 1/4″ thickness, lightly dust one of the sections. Put parchment paper on top, and place the second rolled out on top. Place on a cookie sheet, cover with plastic wrap, and chill in the refrigerator for at least 1-2 hours (and up to 2 days).
- Preheat oven to 350°F (177°C). Take chilled ready-to-cut dough from refrigerator and start cutting into shapes using your favourite cookie cutters. A good trick is to dip your cookie cutter in flour between each cut to avoid dough sticking into the cutter. Re-roll dough scraps to 1/4″ thickness and continue cutting until all dough is consumed.
- Arrange cookies on baking sheets about 2 inches apart. Bake for 8-10 minutes (8 for smaller cookies, 10 for larger cookies). Do not overbake. Cookies may not look baked at 11 minutes, but I highly suggest you remove them from the oven before you see any browning on the edges. Allow to cool on baking sheet for about 10 minutes, then transfer onto cooling racks.
- Allow to fully cool before decorating with icing or decorative sugar toppings.
- Recipe will yield about 18 – 24 cookies depending on cookie cutter size.
Ingredients – Sugar Cookie Icing
- 2 cups Powdered Sugar
- 6 teaspoons Water
- 4 teaspoons Light Corn Syrup
- ½-1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract, oil-free start with ½ teaspoon and add more to your taste
- ½-1 teaspoon Almond Extract, oil-free start with ½ teaspoon and add more to your taste
- ⅛ teaspoon Salt to help balance out the sweetness
- Food Colouring
Instructions
- Combine all ingredients in a medium-sized mixing bowl. Using a rubber spatula, stir mixture for about 2-3 minutes until a smooth and glossy consistency is achieved.
- If you are using multiple colours, divide the icing into their own bowls before adding the colouring.
- After adding the food colouring, you will notice the icing will be slightly runny. This is normal. Different climates and humidity levels can affect the consistency of the icing. If too wet, add powdered sugar (1 teaspoon at a time), if too dry, add more water (1/8 teaspoon at a time).
- Spoon the icing into piping bags or squeeze bottles. If you do not have either of these, you can also spoon the icing into plastic ziploc bags and snip off a small bit off one corner.
- To decorate, first outline each cookie with the icing. Fill the rest of the cookie with the icing, then use a toothpick to help spread the icing and fill in any holes.
- Enjoy the cookies immediately OR allow the icing to “harden” overnight (or about 12 hours), uncovered. Do not stack until the sugar cookie icing has hardened. The cookies will stay soft for 4-5 days in an airtight container.
