Best Classic Sugar Cookies Recipes

CLASSIC SUGAR COOKIES

Steps:

• In large bowl, beat 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar, the softened butter, 1 teaspoon vanilla, the almond extract and egg with electric mixer on medium speed, or mix with spoon, until well blended. Stir in flour, baking soda and cream of tartar. Divide dough in half; shape dough into 2 disks, and wrap in plastic wrap. Cover and refrigerate at least 2 hours.
• Heat oven to 375°F.
• Roll each disk on lightly floured surface until 1/4 inch thick. Cut with 2- to 2 1/2-inch cookie cutters into desired shapes. On ungreased cookie sheets, place cutouts at least 2 inches apart.
• Bake 7 to 8 minutes or until edges are light brown. Cool 1 minute; remove from cookie sheets to cooling racks. Cool completely.
• In medium bowl, beat 3 cups powdered sugar, 3 tablespoons milk and 1/4 teaspoon vanilla with spoon until smooth and spreadable. If frosting is too stiff to spread, add additional milk, 1 teaspoon at a time. Tint with food color. Spread frosting on cooled cookies. Decorate as desired with colored sugar or candy sprinkles. Let stand about 4 hours or until frosting is set. Store covered in airtight container at room temperature with waxed paper between layers.

CLASSIC SUGAR COOKIES

Steps:

• On a lightly floured surface, roll out dough to 1/4-in. thickness. Using 2-1/2-in. cookie cutters, cut out desired shapes. Place 2 in. apart on ungreased baking sheets. Leave plain or sprinkle with colored sugar. Bake at 375° for 8-10 minutes or until the edges are golden brown. Remove to wire racks to cool. Frost plain cookies; sprinkle with colored sugar if desired.

CLASSIC SUGAR COOKIES (COOKIE EXCHANGE QUANTITY)

Steps:

• In large bowl, beat 3 cups powdered sugar, the butter, vanilla, 1 teaspoon almond extract and eggs with electric mixer on medium speed, or mix with spoon. Stir in flour, baking soda and cream of tartar. Cover and refrigerate at least 2 hours.
• Heat oven to 375°F. Lightly grease cookie sheet. Divide dough in half. On lightly floured surface, roll each half 1/8 inch thick. Cut into desired shapes with 3-inch cookie cutters. Place about 2 inches apart on cookie sheet.
• Bake 5 to 7 minutes or until edges are light brown. Remove from cookie sheet to wire rack. Cool completely, about 30 minutes.
• In small bowl, beat all glaze ingredients except food colors on low speed until smooth. Divide among several small bowls. Stir desired food color, one drop at a time, into each until desired color. Decorate cookies with glaze and other decorations as desired.

ROLL OUT CLASSIC BUTTER - SUGAR COOKIES (CHRISTMAS OR HOLIDAYS)

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F.
• Line some cookie sheets with either silicone baking mats or parchment paper.
• In a large bowl, cream the butter and sugar with a mixer paddle attachment for two minutes. Stop and scrape the bowl.
• Cream the mixture for an additional minute.
• Beat in the egg and vanilla extract. Beat until well combined.
• Sift together baking powder and flour. Add the flour mixture 1 cup at a time to the creamed butter and sugar mixture. Mix thoroughly after each addition. Blend in the last cup of flour by hand. The dough will be stiff.
• Divide the dough into two balls. Wrap with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least one hour.
• Roll out one ball of dough between two sheets of parchment paper to about 1/4 inch thick. Remove the top sheet of parchment paper and run a floured metal spatula under the dough to loosen it a bit.
• Cut cookies with cookie cutters of your choice. Dip them in flour before each use.
• Carefully place the cut out cookies onto prepared cookie sheets.
• If you own a Dobord adjust to 1/4 inch. Line Dobord bottom plate with parchment paper. Cut another sheet of parchment paper and roll out dough between that and the lined bottom. Cut out cookies with cookie cutters dipped in flour before each use.
• Bake cookies for 8 to 10 minutes or until they just start to brown. Let the cookies rest on the cookie sheet for 5 to 10 minutes before removing them to a cooling rack. Cool completely before glazing. Repeat process with second ball of dough.
• For Glaze (if using): In a mixing bowl thoroughly mix the sugar and the milk. The mixture should be very soft and have a heavy cream texture before you add the corn syrup. Add the corn syrup and mix just until combined. Mix in the extract and food coloring if you are planning on using only one color. If using many colors, divide up the glaze in to as many bowls as you need. Color each one using gel or paste food coloring (mix in a small bit at a time using a toothpick until you get the color you want). Use a small pastry brush to glaze the cookies. Paint the entire tops of the cookies with a thin layer of glaze and place back on the cooling racks to dry. Depending on temperature and humidity it will take between 6 and 12 hours for the glaze to dry completely.

CLASSIC SUGAR COOKIES (WITH VARIATIONS)

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350F.
• Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.
• Cream butter and sugar in a medium bowl, using medium speed (electric mixer) until light and fluffy.
• Add egg and vanilla.
• Continue beating until well-combined.
• Combine flour, salt and baking soda.
• Add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients.
• Mix on low speed until just combined.
• Wrap dough tightly with cling wrap and chill for at least 30 minutes.
• Turn dough out on lightly floured surface.
• Roll to about 1/8" thickness.
• Using cookie cutters/inverted wine glass, cut out cookies and transfer to prepared baking sheets.
• Sprinkle the tops with sugar, if desired.
• Bake until cookies are set but not brown, 8-10 minutes.
• Transfer to cooling racks.
• You may roll the dough into a log shape and freeze until firm, then slice and bake.
• LEMON SUGAR COOKIES- Add 1 tablespoon finely chopped lemon zest and 1 tablespoon lemon juice to butter and sugar.
• RAISIN SUGAR COOKIES- Stir 3/4 cup raisins into dough after dry ingredients have been combined.
• NUT SUGAR COOKIES- Stir 3/4 cup finely chopped (toasted) walnuts/pecans/other nuts into dough after dry ingredients have been combined.
• SUGAR AND SPICE COOKIES- Add 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon, 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg and a pinch of ground cloves to the dough along with the flour.
• FROSTED SUGAR COOKIES- Omit the sprinkling of sugar on top of cookies.
• Beat 1 cup icing sugar, 1 tablespoon water/milk, 1/2 tsp vanilla extract and a few drops of food coloring (if desired) with electric mixer, on HIGH speed.
• Frost cookies after baking, while still slightly warm.
• CHOCOLATE COOKIES- Melt 2 oz. bittersweet chocolate (I use 72%) in the microwave, stir until smooth, let cool slightly and add to the dough after the addition of vanilla.
• MARBLED/TWO-TONED COOKIES- Melt 1 oz. bittersweet chocolate (I use 72%) in the microwave, stir until smooth, let cool slightly. After the dough has been formed, divide it into two. Add melted chocolate into one part of dough, knead it gently to incorporate chocolate uniformly. Combine 2 doughs and roll out as usual.

CLASSIC OLD-FASHIONED SUGAR COOKIES

Steps:

• Combine baking soda, cream of tartar and flour mixing well. With your hands, knead in softened butter.
• In a small bowl, beat eggs and mix well with sugar and vanilla.
• Pour egg mixture into flour mixture and again using your hands, mix this really well.
• Chill dough. It will be quite hard when it is completely chilled. Using a table knife, cut off chunks to roll out on a well-flour surface to desired thickness - thin cookies will get crispy when baked, thicker cookies will puff and stay soft. Cut into desired shapes.
• Bake in a 350 degree oven until the edges begin to brown; be careful not to overcook if you want them to stay soft after cooling!
• After completely cooled, decorate the cookies. These will freeze really well!

CLASSIC SUGAR COOKIES

Steps:

• Cream sugar and butter with a mixer until fluffy; add egg and flavorings.
• Mix well.
• Combine dry ingredients together and stir into creamed mixture.
• Cover and chill for 2 to 3 hours.
• Divide dough in half.
• Roll out on surface lightly dusted with confectioner's sugar.
• Cut with cookie cutters and place on ungreased cookie sheets.
• Decorate with sprinkles if desired.
• Bake at 375 degrees for 7 to 8 minutes, until cookies begin turning a light brown at the edges.
• Cool, then decorate with egg yolk paint or as you wish.

CLASSIC VANILLA-ORANGE SUGAR COOKIES RECIPE - (4.5/5)

Steps:

• In a medium bowl, whisk together flour and salt. In bowl of stand mixer, beat sugar and butter on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Beat in egg, egg yolk, orange zest and vanilla until well combined. With the mixer on low speed, gradually add flour mixture to bowl, mixing until combined. Turn dough out onto a work surface and divide into three equal pieces. Shape each piece into a flat disk. Wrap each disk tightly in plastic wrap. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour, until cold, or for up to 3 days. Preheat oven to 350°F, placing racks in the upper and lower thirds. On a lightly floured work surface, roll out one disk of dough to a thickness of ¼ inch. Using cookie cutter, cut out shapes and carefully transfer them to 2 prepared cookie sheets, spacing them about 1 inch apart. Reroll scraps as necessary. Repeat process with more dough until both cookie sheets are full. Bake for 11 to 15 minutes, switching positions of cookie sheets halfway through, until cookies are set and very lightly browned. Let cookies cool on cookie sheet for 10 minutes, then carefully transfer them to wire racks to cool completely before decorating. Repeat steps 6 and 7 with the remaining dough. Melt chocolate and milk in a double broiler. When cookies are cool, drizzle over the cookies and allow to set.

CLASSIC SUGAR COOKIES

Steps:

• COMBINE shortening, granulated sugar and brown sugar in large bowl; beat at medium speed until well blended. Add milk. Beat in eggs, one at a time. Add vanilla.
• COMBINE flour, baking soda, cream of tartar and salt in separate large bowl. Mix into shortening mixture until well blended. Chill 1 hour.
• HEAT oven to 350 degrees F.
• ROLL out 1/3 of dough at a time to about 1/4-inch thickness on floured surface. Cut out with cookie cutters. Place 2 inches apart on ungreased baking sheets. Sprinkle with colored sugars and decors or leave plain and frost when cooled.
• BAKE 6 to 8 minutes or until edges of cookies are slightly golden. Remove immediately to cooling rack.
• Buttery Cream Frosting:
• COMBINE powdered sugar, shortening and vanilla in bowl of electric mixer; slowly blend in milk to reach desired consistency.
• BEAT on high speed for 5 minutes or until smooth and creamy. Tint frosting with food coloring, if desired.

CLASSIC SUGAR COOKIES

Steps:

• Preparation Directions: COMBINE shortening, granulated sugar and brown sugar in large bowl; beat at medium speed until well blended. Add milk. Beat in eggs, one at a time. Add vanilla.
• COMBINE flour, baking soda, cream of tartar and salt in separate large bowl. Mix into shortening mixture until well blended. Chill 1 hour.
• HEAT oven to 350°F.
• ROLL out 1/3 of dough at a time to about 1⁄4-inch thickness on floured surface. Cut out with cookie cutters. Place 2 inches apart on ungreased baking sheets. Sprinkle with colored sugars and decors or leave plain and frost when cooled.
• BAKE 6 to 8 minutes or until edges of cookies are slightly golden. Remove immediately to cooling rack.
• BUTTERY CREAM FROSTING: COMBINE powdered sugar, shortening and vanilla in bowl of electric mixer; slowly blend in milk to reach desired consistency.
• BEAT on high speed for 5 minutes or until smooth and creamy. Tint frosting with food coloring, if desired.
• TIP: Spread a thin layer of frosting on cookies and decorate with sparkling sugars or sprinkles while frosting is still wet to ensure the decorations stay in place. If you're planning to pipe on frosting decorations, make sure to allow the base coat of frosting, and then each addition layer, to dry completely before adding another.

CLASSIC VANILLA-ORANGE SUGAR COOKIES

Steps:

• 1. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour and salt. In bowl of stand mixer, beat sugar and butter on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Beat in egg, egg yolk, orange zest and vanilla until well combined. With the mixer on low speed, gradually add flour mixture to bowl, mixing until combined. Turn dough out onto a work surface and divide into three equal pieces. Shape each piece into a flat disk. Wrap each disk tightly in plastic wrap. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour, until cold, or for up to 3 days. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F, placing racks in the upper and lower thirds. On a lightly floured work surface, roll out one disk of dough to a thickness of ¼ inch. Using cookie cutter, cut out shapes and carefully transfer them to 2 prepared cookie sheets, spacing them about 1 inch apart. Reroll scraps as necessary. Repeat process with more dough until both cookie sheets are full. Bake for 11 - 15 minutes, switching positions of cookie sheets halfway through, until cookies are set and very lightly browned. Let cookies cool on cookie sheet for 10 minutes, then carefully transfer them to wire racks to cool completely before decorating. Repeat steps 6 and 7 with the remaining dough. Melt chocolate and milk in a double broiler. When cookies are cool, drizzle over the cookies and allow to set.

WEIGHT WATCHERS CLASSIC SUGAR COOKIES - POINTS = 1

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350ºF.
• In a medium bowl, combine flour, baking powder, baking soda and nutmeg; set aside.
• Place butter and cheese in a large bowl; cream using an electric mixer. Add sugar and beat until batter is pale yellow; beat in vanilla extract and egg.
• Add about 1/3 of flour mixture and 1/3 of milk to cheese mixture; mix batter on low speed until just combined. Repeat 2 more times with remaining flour mixture and milk, until thoroughly combined into cheese mixture.
• Shape dough into a ball and loosely cover with plastic wrap. Using your palms, press down on plastic wrap to flatten dough into a hamburger shape; refrigerate for at least 30 minutes and up to 2 days.
• Sprinkle a teaspoon of flour on a flat work surface. Pull off about 1/3 of dough and, using a rolling pin, roll out dough to 1/8-inch thickness. Using a 3-inch circular cookie cutter, cut cookies out of dough and place on ungreased baking sheets. Roll up dough scraps and add back to dough ball. Pull off another 1/3 of dough and repeat process until all dough is used - recipe will make approximately 45 cookies.
• Sprinkle cookies with colored sugar and bake until edges just start to turn golden, about 10 to 12 minutes. Remove cookies to wire racks and cool completely. Yields 1 cookie per serving.

CLASSIC CRISP SUGAR COOKIES

Steps:

• In a large bowl, cream sugar, butter and shortening until light and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time. Beat in sour cream and vanilla. Combine flour, baking soda and salt; gradually add to creamed mixture and mix well. Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes or until the dough is easy to handle., On a powdered sugar-covered surface, roll out dough to 1/8 in. thickness. Cut with floured 2-1/2-in. cookie cutters. Place 1 in. apart on ungreased baking sheets. Sprinkle with granulated sugar. Bake at 350° for 7-8 minutes or until edges are lightly browned. Remove to wire racks to cool.

CLASSIC SUGAR COOKIES

Steps:

• Add the softened butter to the bowl of a standing mixer, fitted with the paddle attachment. Sift together the flour and salt and set aside.
• Cream the butter on medium speed. Add the egg and egg yolk to the bowl, and continue on medium speed.Add the sugars to the mixer, and mix on medium-high speed, until creamy and fluffy.Add the vanilla bean paste (or extract) to the mixing bowl, and continue to mix on medium-high, scraping down the bowl as necessary.With the mixer on low, add the flour in several batches, until it's all added.
• Cut 8 individual pieces of parchment paper and set aside.Divide the dough into 4 equal sized pieces, and roll each piece between two sheets of parchment paper, to less than 1/4-inch thick. Refrigerate the sheets of dough for at least 4 hours.
• Remove one sheet of dough from the refrigerator. Peel the top sheet of parchment paper from the dough, and cut shapes with cookie cutters. Move the cookies to a baking sheet (lined with parchment paper) with a very thin, metal spatula. Decorate with sprinkles, and return the sheets to the refrigerator to chill again, for 30 minutes. Repeat with the remaining sheets of dough.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Remove the sheets from the refrigerator and bake for 7 to 9 minutes, until the edges are golden brown and the center is set.
• Remove the cookies from the oven, and transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely. The cookies will keep for up to 2 weeks in an airtight container. Optional variations: Coconut Cookies: Follow directions for making Sugar Cookie dough, substituting 1 tsp coconut extract for the vanilla. Lemon Cookies: Follow directions for making Sugar Cookie dough, substituting 1 Tbsp freshly grated lemon zest and 2 tsps fresh lemon juice for the vanilla. Nut Cookies: Follow directions for making Sugar Cookie dough. Sprinkle the tops of the cut-out dough with ½ cup chopped nuts before baking. (Don't use toasted nuts; the raw nuts will toast while baking.) Orange-Rosemary Cookies: Follow directions for making Sugar Cookie dough, substituting freshly grated zest of 2 oranges (1½-2 Tbsp) and 1 Tbsp finely minced rosemary leaves for the vanilla.

CLASSIC SUGAR COOKIES

Steps:

• In a medium bowl, whisk flour and salt together. Place butter and sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer and beat on high speed until well combined, about 3 minutes. Add egg and vanilla and beat until just combined. Reduce speed to low and gradually add the flour mixture; mix until just combined.
• For roll-and-cut cookies:
• Form dough into two equal-sized balls and flatten into discs. Wrap both in plastic and chill at least 1 hour.
• Position oven racks in the upper and lower thirds of the oven and preheat to 350°F. Prepare a well-floured surface and a well-floured rolling pin. Working with one disc at a time, roll dough to 1/4 inch thick. Cut out as many cookies as possible with cutters (if dough becomes too soft, return to refrigerator and chill until firm). Arrange cookies 1 inch apart on 2 ungreased baking sheets and chill 15 minutes. Gather scraps, form into a small disc, and chill until firm.
• Bake cookies until golden brown at edges (rotating baking sheets and switching position on racks halfway through), 15 to 20 minutes. Transfer to cooling racks to cool completely.
• Roll out the second disc of dough and scraps (reroll scraps only once) and bake on cooled baking sheets. Transfer to racks to cool completely. Decorate, if desired.
• For slice-and-bake cookies:
• Halve dough and form into two logs, 1 1/2 inches in diameter. Wrap logs in plastic and roll to form a more uniform round shape. Chill at least 2 hours.
• Position oven racks in the upper and lower thirds of the oven and preheat to 350°F. Slice cookies into 1/4-inch-thick rounds and arrange 1 inch apart on ungreased baking sheets. Bake cookies until golden brown at edges (rotating baking sheets and switching position on racks halfway through), 15 to 20 minutes. Transfer to cooling racks to cool completely. Decorate, if desired.

CLASSIC SUGAR COOKIES (COOKIE EXCHANGE QUANTITY)

Steps:

• In large bowl, beat 3 cups powdered sugar, the butter, vanilla, 1 teaspoon almond extract and eggs with electric mixer on medium speed, or mix with spoon. Stir in flour, baking soda and cream of tartar. Cover and refrigerate at least 2 hours.
• Heat oven to 375°F. Lightly grease cookie sheet. Divide dough in half. On lightly floured surface, roll each half 1/8 inch thick. Cut into desired shapes with 3-inch cookie cutters. Place about 2 inches apart on cookie sheet.
• Bake 5 to 7 minutes or until edges are light brown. Remove from cookie sheet to wire rack. Cool completely, about 30 minutes.
• In small bowl, beat all glaze ingredients except food colors on low speed until smooth. Divide among several small bowls. Stir desired food color, one drop at a time, into each until desired color. Decorate cookies with glaze and other decorations as desired.

CLASSIC SUGAR COOKIES

Steps:

• For the cookies: Whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt in a small bowl.
• Beat the superfine sugar and butter with an electric mixer on medium speed in a large bowl until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes; beat in the egg, then the vanilla. Add the flour mixture and mix on medium-low speed until completely incorporated. Divide the dough in half, pat into 2 discs about 1/4 inch thick, wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate until firm, about 1 hour.
• Position oven racks in the top and bottom thirds of the oven and preheat to 350 degrees F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.
• Let the dough sit at room temperature for a few minutes to make rolling easier. Roll out 1 disc of dough at a time between 2 pieces of parchment paper until 1/8 inch thick. Cut out shapes with cookie cutters and arrange about 2 inches apart on the prepared baking sheets.
• Bake until the cookies are golden brown on the bottom, 10 to 12 minutes. Let the cookies cool on the baking sheets until firm enough to transfer to a wire rack; let cool completely.
• Gently gather any scraps of dough into a ball and press into a disc; wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate the disc until firm enough to roll, about 1 hour. Cut out as many cookies as possible and bake.
• For the royal icing: Beat the confectioners' sugar, meringue powder and 1/3 cup water with an electric mixer on medium-high speed in a large bowl until stiff peaks form. Beat in the food coloring if using. (The icing can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days.)
• Decorate the cookies with the icing; top with decorating sugar and sprinkles if using.

CLASSIC SUGAR COOKIES

Steps:

• 1. Mix powdered sugar, butter, vanilla, almond extract and egg in large bowl. Stir in remaining ingredients except granulated sugar. Cover and refrigerate at least 2 hours. 2. Heat oven to 375ºF. Lightly grease cookie sheet. 3. Divide dough in half. Roll each half 1/4 inch thick on lightly floured surface. Cut into desired shapes with 2- to 2 1/2-inch cookie cutters. Sprinkle with granulated sugar. Place on cookie sheet. 4. Bake 7 to 8 minutes or until edges are light brown. Remove from cookie sheet. Cool on wire rack. (Total time will vary; cook or bake time is per batch.)