Best Sugar Cookie Cut Outs Recipes

CHOCOLATE SUGAR COOKIE CUT-OUTS

Steps:

• Whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, salt and baking soda in a medium bowl and set aside.
• Put the butter into the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment (or a large bowl if using a hand mixer) and beat on medium-high speed until smooth. Add the sugar and beat until light and fluffy, scraping down the sides of the bowl and paddle as needed, about 4 minutes more. Add the egg and vanilla and beat until smooth. Add the melted chocolate and beat until smooth.
• Reduce the mixer speed to medium-low and add the flour mixture in two batches, scraping down the sides of the bowl and paddle as needed. Mix until incorporated.
• Divide the dough in half and shape into two flattened disks. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate until firm at least 1 hour and up to 3 days. Remove the dough from the refrigerator for 20 to 30 minutes before rolling, to soften.
• Position oven racks to the upper and lower third of the oven and preheat to 350 degrees F. Line two baking sheets with parchment. Now flour parchment for rolling: Dust a piece of parchment with flour, place a disk of dough on it, dust the disk with flour, then cover it with a second piece of parchment. Roll out the dough about 1/4 inch thick. Cut out shapes with 11/2- to 2-inch cookie cutters. Gather up the scraps, re-roll and cut out. (Chill the scraps if the dough becomes too soft.) Roll and cut out the remaining disk of dough. Working in batches, arrange the cookies 1 inch apart on the prepared baking sheets.
• Bake the cookies until the tops look dry and no indentation is left when pressed with your finger, 10 to 12 minutes. Let the cookies cool for a few minutes on the baking sheets, then use a metal spatula to transfer them to a rack to cool completely.
• Decorate with royal icing as desired. Store at room temperature in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
• Combine the confectioners' sugar, meringue powder and 3/4 cup water in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment (or in a large bowl if using a hand mixer). Mix on medium-low speed until pure white and stiff enough to form peaks.
• Add up to 1 tablespoon food coloring if using and mix with a rubber spatula until the color is uniform. Store at room temperature, covered, with plastic wrap on the surface for up to 2 days. Re-whip until smooth before using.

GREAT AUNT AUDRITA'S SOUR CREAM COOKIES (SUGAR COOKIE CUT-OUTS)

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F.
• In a large mixing bowl, cream together sugar, shortening, sour cream and eggs.
• Then stir into mixture the baking soda, nutmeg, vanilla, salt and cream of tartar. Do not add flour just yet.
• Chill mixture 1-24 hours.
• Gradually add flour to chilled mixture until dough is stiff enough to roll for cut-out cookies.
• On a generously floured work surface, roll out dough a little at a time with a rolling pin dusted with flour until 1/2-inch thick.
• Use flour-dipped cookie cutters to cut into desired shapes. Place cut-outs onto a lightly greased cookie sheet, making sure to space cookies two inches apart.
• Bake for 10-12 minutes or until tops of cookies are no longer shiny, and bottoms are lightly browned.
• Cool on a wire rack.
• Decorate with icing of your choice (optional) and store in an air-tight container.

SOUR-CREAM SUGAR COOKIE CUT-OUTS

Steps:

• NOTE: Ingredients and Directions for Glazing Icing is at bottom of Directions.
• Beat butter and shortening about 30 seconds or until softened.
• Add sugar, egg, sour cream, baking powder, lemon oil and half of the flour.
• Beat until thoroughly combined, scraping side of bowl. Beat or stir in the remaining flour.
• Divide dough in half. Cover and chill for 2 to 3 hours or until easy to handle.
• Roll dough on lightly floured surface to 1/8 inch thick. Cut with desired cookie cutter, dipped in flour to prevent sticking. Place on parchment-lined baking sheet.
• Bake at 375 degrees for 5 to 6 minutes or until edges are firm and very lightly browned. Slide parchment paper with cookies attached onto counter top to cool for 5 minutes. Remove to wire rack to cool completely.
• GLAZING ICING:.
• If you choose to decorate your cut-outs with coloured icing, blend 1 cup sugar and 1/2 cup water in small saucepan. Boil until 1st indication of threads appear (230 degrees). Remove from heat; stir in 1/4 cup powdered sugar. If icing becomes sugary while using, reheat slightly with several drops of water.

SUGAR COOKIE CUT-OUTS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400°F.
• In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar with an electric mixer.
• Beat in the egg and vanilla.
• In another bowl, mix together the flour and baking powder.
• Add the flour/baking powder mixture one cup at a time, mixing after each addition. (The dough will be very stiff; blend the last flour in by hand.).
• Do NOT chill the dough.
• Divide dough into 2 balls.
• On a floured surface, roll each ball into a circle approximately 12 inches in diameter and 1/8 inch thick.
• Cut cookies into desired shapes, dipping cookie cutters in flour before each use.
• Decorate with gel and crystal sprinkle decorations, if desired.
• Bake on ungreased baking sheet on middle rack of oven for 6 to 10 minutes, or until cookies are lightly browned.
• Cool 2 to 3 minutes before removing and cooling on a baking grid/cooling rack.
• You can sprinkle cocoa powder on the cookies if desired (looks good if you're making reindeer shaped cookies).
• Cookies may be frozen in a tightly sealed container for up to 2 months.

PERFECT SUGAR COOKIE CUT-OUTS RECIPE - (4.1/5)

Steps:

• In a large mixing bowl, cream together butter and sugar until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add in egg, vanilla extract, and almond extract and mix until combined. In a separate bowl, combine flour, baking powder, and salt. Make sure to spoon the flour into your measuring cup and level it off with a knife to ensure accurate measurements. Slowly add the flour mixture to the butter mixture and mix until completely combined. Roll the dough between 2 sheets of parchment or wax paper and place on a baking sheet in the refrigerator. Chill for about 20-30 minutes. Cut dough into shapes with cookie cutters and transfer to a baking sheet. Sprinkle with colored sugars and bake at 350°F for 8-12 minutes. Cool on baking sheet 5 minutes, then transfer to a baking rack to cool completely. Store in an airtight container. Makes about 40-50 cookies.