This Sugar Cookie Recipe is a classic that can be used for any holiday! Customize with whatever cookie cutters you like! This recipe will keep the shape of the cutters after baking and will have minimal spread. They also taste great too! Can eat them plain or with frosting!
Sugar cookies seem simple, but they can be very finicky! Changes to the recipe will cause the cookies to be really hard or spread a lot during baking. One important thing to do to prevent the cookies from spreading during baking is to chill the dough. You should chill the dough for at least two hours. The dough should be a little bit tough to roll out when you are making your cookies. If you want to make the cookie dough the night before and chill overnight, that works too!
When decorating sugar cookies you can use frosting, icing, or royal icing. I think frosting is the easiest, especially for beginner bakers. Icing is good if you don’t want to use any egg whites or merengue powder, which you use in royal icing. Use whichever one sounds good to you!
This is also a great recipe to get kids involved in. My kids really like to help cut out all of the shapes, and of course decorate! If you don’t want to give your kids fancy equipment to decorate, just put frosting or icing in a Ziploc bag. Then just cut off one corner and let them have fun!
Below you will find my Sugar Cookie Recipe. The first one has been adjusted for high altitude, and the second one is for sea level. I hope you enjoy the recipe! Be sure to leave a comment if you try it out or have any questions!
High Altitude Sugar Cookie Recipe
This recipe allows the cookies to hold their shape throughout baking them, and they still taste great too! Could eat them plain or with frosting! Makes about 3-4 dozen depending on the size of your cookie cutters.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Equipment
baking sheets
parchment paper
plastic wrap
Rolling Pin
Cookie Cutters
Ingredients
- 2 large eggs
- 1 cup butter softened
- 1 1/4 cup granulated sugar minus 1 tbsp
- 3 cups flour plus 3 tbsp
- 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
Instructions
Preheat oven to 350F.
Crack the eggs into a small bowl.
Prepare your baking sheets by lining them with parchment paper.
Set out two pieces of plastic wrap for your cookie dough after it has been mixed together.
In a small bowl mix together your flour, baking powder and salt.
Add your butter and sugar to your mixing bowl. You can soften your butter by leaving it out at room temperature or heating it in the microwave for a few seconds
Cream the butter and sugar together for about 2 minutes, until it starts to get fluffy. Scrape the bowl and beater and then mix for another 30 seconds.
Add in the eggs and mix until incorporated.
Scrape down the bowl and beater and then add the vanilla extract. Mix until incorporated.
Add in half of the flour mixture and mix. Then add in the second half and mix until incorporated.
Divide the dough into two rounds and place in the plastic wrap. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours. Can be made the day ahead and chilled overnight.
Once the dough has chilled, remove one round from the refrigerator and prepare your rolling surface. I like to use a cutting board, but whatever you choose sprinkle a minimal amount of flour on the surface.
Using your rolling pin, roll the dough out until it is just under 1/4" thick. If your dough is too hard to roll out, you can microwave it for just a few seconds. Be sure to not overdo it. You want the dough to be a little tough to roll out.
When rolling out your dough, use the least amount of flour that you can. It makes it easier to re-roll the dough if you do that. Another alternative is to roll the cookie dough out between two sheets of parchment paper.
Cut out shapes with your cookie cutters, then place on a baking sheet.
Bake for about 12-15 minutes. You want to take them out just before the edges start to brown.
Let the cookies cool on the cookie sheet for a minute or two, then transfer to a cooling rack to cool completely.
Store in an airtight container. The cookies will last about a week at room temperature and two weeks in the refrigerator. If you wanted to make them ahead of time, you can freeze them for 3-6 months.
Sugar Cookie Recipe
This recipe allows the cookies to hold their shape throughout baking them, and they still taste great too! Could eat them plain or with frosting! Makes about 3-4 dozen depending on the size of your cookie cutters.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Equipment
baking sheets
parchment paper
plastic wrap
Rolling Pin
Cookie Cutters
Ingredients
- 2 large eggs
- 1 cup butter softened
- 1 1/4 cup granulated sugar minus
- 3 cups flour plus
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
Instructions
Preheat oven to 350F.
Crack the eggs into a small bowl.
Prepare your baking sheets by lining them with parchment paper.
Set out two pieces of plastic wrap for your cookie dough after it has been mixed together.
In a small bowl mix together your flour, baking powder and salt.
Add your butter and sugar to your mixing bowl. You can soften your butter by leaving it out at room temperature or heating it in the microwave for a few seconds
Cream the butter and sugar together for about 2 minutes, until it starts to get fluffy. Scrape the bowl and beater and then mix for another 30 seconds.
Add in the eggs and mix until incorporated.
Scrape down the bowl and beater and then add the vanilla extract. Mix until incorporated.
Add in half of the flour mixture and mix. Then add in the second half and mix until incorporated.
Divide the dough into two rounds and place in the plastic wrap. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours. Can be made the day ahead and chilled overnight.
Once the dough has chilled, remove one round from the refrigerator and prepare your rolling surface. I like to use a cutting board, but whatever you choose sprinkle a minimal amount of flour on the surface.
Using your rolling pin, roll the dough out until it is just under 1/4" thick. If your dough is too hard to roll out, you can microwave it for just a few seconds. Be sure to not overdo it. You want the dough to be a little tough to roll out.
When rolling out your dough, use the least amount of flour that you can. It makes it easier to re-roll the dough if you do that. Another alternative is to roll the cookie dough out between two sheets of parchment paper.
Cut out shapes with your cookie cutters, then place on a baking sheet.
Bake for about 12-15 minutes. You want to take them out just before the edges start to brown.
Let the cookies cool on the cookie sheet for a minute or two, then transfer to a cooling rack to cool completely.
Store in an airtight container. The cookies will last about a week at room temperature and two weeks in the refrigerator. If you wanted to make them ahead of time, you can freeze them for 3-6 months.
