Pin it My kitchen counter disappeared under a mountain of flour dust last December, and I would not have had it any other way. The house smelled like butter and vanilla, and my three year old was covered in more sprinkles than actually made it onto the cookies. Some traditions are worth the mess.
Last year I made six batches for a school cookie walk and learned that rolling between two sheets of parchment paper changes everything. No sticking to the counter no overworking the dough with extra flour and somehow the process became almost peaceful instead of frustrating.
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Ingredients
- Unsalted butter: Room temperature butter creates the perfect creamed base for tender cookies
- Granulated sugar: The foundation that creates crisp edges while keeping centers soft
- Large egg: Adds structure and helps bind everything together
- Pure vanilla extract: Do not skimp here because this is the main flavor note
- All purpose flour: The protein structure that holds your cookie shapes
- Baking powder: Just enough lift for puffy edges
- Salt: Balances sweetness and wakes up all the flavors
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Instructions
- Cream the butter and sugar:
- Beat butter and sugar until pale and fluffy about 3 full minutes to incorporate tiny air pockets
- Add the egg and vanilla:
- Mix until completely combined scraping down the bowl to ensure everything is incorporated
- Whisk the dry ingredients:
- Combine flour baking powder and salt in a separate bowl so they distribute evenly
- Bring the dough together:
- Add dry ingredients gradually mixing just until no flour streaks remain
- Chill the dough:
- Divide in half flatten into disks wrap tightly and refrigerate at least 1 hour or the cookies will spread too much
- Prep your baking space:
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F and line baking sheets with parchment paper
- Roll and cut:
- Roll dough to quarter inch thickness on floured surface and cut with your favorite cookie cutters
- Bake to perfection:
- Arrange cookies one inch apart on prepared sheets and bake 8 to 10 minutes until edges barely start turning golden
- Cool completely:
- Let them rest on baking sheets for 5 minutes then move to a wire rack until fully cool before decorating
Pin it My grandmother kept a tin of these on her counter year round decorated with whatever season called for. Red white and blue stars for the fourth of July pastel flowers for spring and of course endless trees bells and gingerbread people come December. Some cookies just carry the whole year in them.
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Getting Even Thickness
Invest in rolling pin rings or use two stacked paint stir tapes on each end of your pin. The revelation came when I realized all my trees were suddenly the same thickness and baked evenly. No more burnt edges on thin cookies while thick ones stayed doughy in the middle.
Perfect Timing
The difference between perfect sugar cookies and overdone ones is literally 60 seconds. I pull them when the centers still look slightly underbaked and the edges have just the tiniest hint of color. They continue cooking on the hot baking sheet and finish setting up perfectly during those 5 minutes of cooling time.
Making Ahead Like A Pro
The dough actually develops better flavor after a day or two in the refrigerator which means you can prep it on Wednesday and bake on Saturday. The flour hydrates more fully and the vanilla settles in deeper. This changed my holiday baking game forever.
- Freeze wrapped dough disks for up to two months and thaw overnight in the refrigerator
- Baked cookies freeze beautifully between layers of parchment in airtight containers
- Undecorated cookies can wait 2 days before icing so spread out the work
Pin it May your kitchen be dusted with flour and your heart full of holiday cheer.
Recipe FAQs
- → How long should I chill the sugar cookie dough?
Chill the dough for at least 1 hour before rolling. This resting period allows the butter to firm up, preventing cookies from spreading too much while baking and making the dough easier to handle.
- → Can I make sugar cookie dough ahead of time?
Yes, refrigerate the wrapped dough disks for up to 3 days, or freeze them for up to 2 months. Thaw frozen dough overnight in the refrigerator before rolling and baking.
- → How do I know when sugar cookies are done baking?
Bake for 8-10 minutes at 350°F until edges just begin turning golden. The centers may appear slightly underbaked, but they will firm up as they cool on the baking sheet.
- → What's the best way to get soft versus crispy sugar cookies?
For softer cookies, remove them from the oven as soon as the edges set. For crispier textures, bake for an additional minute. Both versions should cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring.
- → Can I add different flavors to the basic sugar cookie dough?
Absolutely. Try adding ½ teaspoon almond extract for a nutty note, or incorporate lemon zest for bright citrus flavor. These additions blend seamlessly with the vanilla base without altering the dough's texture.
- → What thickness should I roll sugar cookies for cutouts?
Roll the dough to ¼-inch thickness for optimal results. Thinner cookies may become too crisp, while thicker ones require longer baking time and may not cook evenly throughout.
