Best Marthas Brown Sugar Easter Cookies Recipes

IDEAL SUGAR COOKIES

Steps:

• Whisk together flour, salt, and baking powder in a medium bowl; set aside. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream butter and sugar; mix until light and fluffy. With mixer running, add egg, brandy, and vanilla; mix until well combined. With the mixer on low, slowly add reserved flour mixture. Mix until just combined.
• Transfer dough to a clean surface. Shape into 2 disks, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate at least 1 hour.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line baking sheets with nonstick baking mats or parchment paper; set aside.
• On a lightly floured surface, roll out dough to 1/8-inch thickness. Cut into desired shapes and transfer to prepared sheets, spaced 1 inch apart. Leftover dough can be rolled and cut once more. Bake until lightly golden, about 10 minutes; do not allow to brown. Transfer sheets to wire racks; let cool completely.
• Decorate with royal icing, if desired.

SUGAR COOKIES

Steps:

• Sift flour, baking powder, and salt into a bowl. In a separate bowl, beat butter and sugar with a mixer on medium speed until pale and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Beat in eggs and vanilla. Reduce speed to low. Gradually mix in flour mixture. Turn out dough, and divide in half. Flatten each half into a disk, and wrap in plastic. Refrigerate until firm, at least 1 hour or overnight.
• Preheat oven to 325 degrees, with racks in upper and lower thirds of oven. Let one disk of dough stand at room temperature just until soft enough to roll, about 10 minutes. Roll out dough on a lightly floured work surface to just under 1/4-inch thick, adding more flour as needed to keep dough from sticking. Chill in refrigerator until firm, about 30 minutes. Cut out cookies using desired cutters or templates. Transfer to parchment-lined baking sheets as you work. Roll out scraps, and repeat once. Repeat with remaining disk of dough. Chill cookies in freezer until very firm, about 15 minutes.
• Bake cookies, switching positions of sheets and rotating halfway through, until edges turn golden, 15 to 18 minutes. Let cool on sheets on wire racks. Decorate with Royal Icing.

ALEXIS'S BROWN SUGAR CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES

Steps:

• Cream butter until smooth; add sugars, and beat until smooth. Beat in eggs and vanilla. Into a large bowl, sift together dry ingredients. Slowly beat dry ingredients into wet mixture. Fold in chocolate chips.
• Use 1/4-cup scoop to scoop dough onto ungreased baking sheets; space at least 2 inches apart to allow for spreading. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least an hour or up to 2 days.
• Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Remove cookies from refrigerator and bake until golden, 10 to 12 minutes; rotating the pan halfway through. Remove cookies from baking sheets, and allow to cool on baking racks.

BROWN-BUTTER COOKIES

Steps:

• Melt butter over medium heat. Continue to cook, stirring constantly, until deep golden brown, about 11 minutes. Immediately pour butter into a large bowl, and let cool to room temperature, about 10 minutes. Stir in vanilla.
• Whisk together flour, baking powder, granulated sugar, and salt. Gradually stir into butter mixture. Form dough into a ball, then roll into a 14-inch-long log (about 1 1/2 inches in diameter). Wrap in parchment, and refrigerate until firm, 1-2 hours.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Brush dough with egg wash, and roll in sanding sugar. Slice into 3/8-inch rounds, and transfer to parchment-lined baking sheets. Bake until light brown and firm, 15 to 17 minutes. Let cool completely on baking sheets on wire racks.

CINNAMON SUGAR COOKIES

Steps:

• Make the dough: In a large bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon. Set aside. In another large bowl, using an electric mixer, beat butter and granulated sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in egg and vanilla. With mixer on low speed, gradually add flour mixture; beat until combined. Divide dough in half; form into two 3/4-inch-thick disks. Wrap each in plastic; refrigerate until firm, at least 1 hour.
• Roll out and freeze: Place one disk between two sheets of floured parchment paper; roll out to an 1/8-inch thickness, lightly dusting dough with flour as needed. Cut out shapes with cookie cutters; if dough gets soft, chill 10 minutes. (To bake right away, follow directions in step 3.) Using a metal spatula with a thin blade, transfer cut-out shapes to a parchment-lined baking sheet. Re-roll scraps; cut more shapes. Repeat with remaining disk. Place baking sheet in freezer; once frozen, transfer shapes to a resealable plastic bag. Freeze up to 1 month.
• Bake: Preheat oven to 325. Line baking sheets with parchment; bake, decorating if desired (see note, below), until edges are golden, 10 to 15 minutes, rotating sheets halfway through-this time range applies whether dough is frozen or not. Cool cookies 1 minute on sheets, and transfer to wire racks to cool completely.