Best Vanilla Sugar Cookies Recipes

VANILLA-BUTTER SUGAR COOKIES

Steps:

• Cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy, 5-7 minutes. Beat in eggs and vanilla. In another bowl, whisk flour, salt, baking soda and cream of tartar. Gradually beat into creamed mixture. Refrigerate, covered, for 30 minutes., Preheat oven to 350°. On a lightly floured surface, roll dough to 1/4-in. thickness. Cut with floured 2-1/2-in. cookie cutters. Place 1 in. apart on ungreased baking sheets. Bake 10-12 minutes. Cool on wire racks. , For frosting, beat confectioners' sugar, butter, vanilla and enough milk to reach desired consistency. If desired, add a few drops of food coloring. Cut a small hole in the tip of a pastry bag or in a corner of a food-safe plastic bag; transfer frosting to bag. Pipe decorations. Sprinkle with colored sugar. Freeze option: Freeze undecorated cookies, layered between waxed paper, in freezer containers. To use, thaw and decorate as desired.

VANILLA SUGAR COOKIES

Steps:

• In a medium bowl, sift together the flour, salt, and baking powder. Set aside.
• In the bowl of a standing mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, combine the butter and sugar and beat on medium speed until light and fluffy. Add the egg and vanilla and beat until combined.
• Add the flour mixture in 2 batches, scraping down the bowl after each addition. Beat until the dough just comes together, being careful not to over mix.
• Turn out the dough onto a lightly floured surface. Form the dough into a ball, wrap it in plastic, and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
• Place the ball of dough between 2 pieces of parchment paper and roll out to 1/4-inch thick. Keeping the dough in the parchment, transfer to a cookie sheet and place in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• Cut out the cookies in the desired shapes and place on a half-sheet pan lined with parchment paper or an un-greased nonstick cookie sheet, at least 1-inch apart. Transfer to the freezer and chill for at least 15 minutes or until they are firm.
• Bake until the cookies are light golden brown, about 10 minutes.
• Let cookies cool completely on the sheets before decorating.

VANILLA-BEAN SUGAR COOKIES

Steps:

• In a bowl with an electric mixer beat together butter, shortening, and 3/4 cup sugar until light and fluffy. With a knife halve vanilla beans lengthwise. Scrape seeds into butter mixture and beat in egg and vanilla extract until combined well. Sift flour, baking powder, and salt into mixture and beat until just combined.
• On a large sheet of wax paper form dough into a 10- by 2-inch log and roll up in wax paper. Chill dough until firm, at least 4 hours. Dough keeps up to 3 days wrapped in wax paper and foil.
• Preheat oven to 375°F.
• Put remaining 1/4 cup sugar on a platter. Remove wax paper and roll log in sugar (not all sugar will adhere to log). Cut log crosswise into 1/4-inch-thick slices and dip cut sides of slices in sugar on platter. Arrange cookies 1/2 inch apart on ungreased baking sheets and bake in batches in middle of oven 10 to 12 minutes, or until edges are pale golden. With a metal spatula transfer cookies to a rack to cool. Cookies may be made 2 days ahead (see note, above) and kept between sheets of wax paper in an airtight container.

VANILLA-BEAN SUGAR COOKIES

Steps:

• In a stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment, beat butter with granulated sugar and salt on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add egg yolk and vanilla; beat to combine. Add flour and beat until a soft dough forms, about 30 seconds. Divide in half; place each half between two sheets of floured parchment and roll out to 1/4-inch thickness. Refrigerate 15 minutes.
• Preheat oven to 325°F. Using a cookie cutter, cut dough into 1 1/4-inch rounds. Gather scraps and reroll; refrigerate 15 minutes and cut more rounds. Refrigerate rounds 20 minutes. Brush edges of cookies with egg white; roll in sanding sugar to coat. Arrange on parchment-lined baking sheets, 1 inch apart. (If dough is softening, return to refrigerator 10 minutes.)
• Bake, rotating halfway through, until cookies are just golden on bottoms, 15 to 18 minutes. Let cool completely on pans on wire racks. Cookies can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature up to 1 week.

CHOCOLATE AND VANILLA SUGAR COOKIES

Steps:

• Beat butter at medium speed with an electric mixer in a large mixing bowl until creamy. Gradually add SPLENDA® Sugar Blend, beating well. Add eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Stir in vanilla.
• Melt chocolate in a 1-cup glass measuring cup at HIGH in a microwave oven for 1 to 1 1/2 minutes or until melted, stirring twice. Set aside.
• Combine flour, baking powder, and salt in a separate mixing bowl. Gradually add flour mixture to SPLENDA® Sugar Blend mixture, beating until blended. Do not over beat. Divide dough into half. Stir melted chocolate into half of mixture.
• Place dough on a lightly floured work surface.
• For Checker Board Cookies, shape chocolate dough into 2 rectangular logs approximately 1-inch in diameter. Repeat procedure with vanilla dough. Cut each log lengthwise into quarters. Reassemble logs, alternating chocolate and vanilla to form a checkerboard pattern. Proceed as directed below.
• For Pinwheel Cookies, roll chocolate dough into 2 (8- x 9- inch) rectangles. Roll vanilla dough into 2 (8- x 10-inch rectangles) Place the vanilla layer on bottom so that it extends 1 inch beyond the chocolate layer; roll as for a jellyroll. Proceed as directed below.
• For Striped Cookies, divide each flavor into 3 balls. Roll each ball into a 7 1/2- x 3-inch rectangle; cut each rectangle into 5 (1 1/2- x 3-inch strips). Stack 5 strips alternating chocolate and vanilla. Proceed as directed below.
• Wrap logs in plastic wrap and chill cookie dough for one hour or until slightly firm. (Dough can be frozen up to three months at this point).
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly grease cookie sheets.
• Remove dough from refrigerator. Slice cookies 1/4-inch thick and place on prepared cookie sheets.
• Bake 8 to 10 minutes or until edges of cookies are lightly browned. Cool slightly on cookie sheets; remove to wire racks to cool completely.

VANILLA SUGAR COOKIES

Steps:

• Sift together flour, baking powder, and salt; set aside.
• Beat butter and sugar until fluffy.
• Beat in eggs one at a time, scraping down bowl each time, then add vanilla.
• Add flour mixture and mix at low speed until dough just comes together.
• Knead a couple of times just until smooth, then pat into a flat disk, wrap in plastic and chill until firm enough to roll.
• Roll and cut as desired and place on parchment-lined sheets.
• Bake at 350° for 8-10 minutes.

LEMON VANILLA SUGAR COOKIES

Steps:

• Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 350 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
• Combine the flour and salt in a medium bowl and whisk to combine. Put the butter, granulated sugar, confectioners' sugar and lemon zest in a large bowl. Beat with an electric hand mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add the egg yolk and vanilla and beat until well combined. Add the flour mixture in 2 batches and mix until just combined.
• Scoop the dough with a 2-ounce cookie scoop, filling it fully with the dough. Then shape it into a straight-sided patty (like a hockey puck) that is 2 inches wide and 1/2 inch thick. Put the formed cookie on the prepared baking sheet. Repeat to make 7 to 8 more cookies and making sure there is at least 1 inch of space around each cookie on the baking sheet.
• Bake until the cookies have spread out and flattened by about half and the bottoms are lightly browned, 10 to 12 minutes, rotating the pan once halfway through the cooking time. Let cool 10 minutes on the baking sheet, then transfer to a wire cooling rack to cool completely.
• Flip your cookies upside down so the flattest side is up. Use the yellow icing to make a thin line around the edge of each cookie. Then make 2 loops around the interior of the yellow border with the white icing and use a toothpick to fill in any gaps between the two colors. Fill in the middle space with the yellow icing and then make a circle with the white directly in the center. Immediately use a scribe or toothpick to lightly drag from the edge of the cookie to the middle to create the segments of your lemon. Repeat with the remaining cookies.
• Let the icing dry and crust over or serve immediately.

SOFT AND CHEWY SUGAR-DOODLE VANILLA COOKIES

Steps:

• To the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter on low speed until smooth, 1 to 2 minutes. Add the sugars and beat on medium-high speed until creamed and well combined, 2 to 3 minutes. Stop, scrape down the sides of the bowl, and add the egg, cream, vanilla, and beat on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, 4 to 5 minutes. Stop, scrape down the sides of the bowl, and add the flours, baking soda, salt, and mix until just combined, about 1 minute. Transfer dough to an airtight container and refrigerate for at least 3 hours, up to 5 days. Notes regarding the flour - solely using all-purpose flour will work, the cookies will not be as chewy or rise as well because bread flour creates chewier results and gives greater rise. Also, I live in a dry climate and only need 1 3/4 cups flour total but if you are in more humidity or your dough is very moist or loose, adding up to 1/4 cup of additional flour, for 2 cups total, is possible. The more flour, the more the cookies will stay domed and puffed while baking. Preheat oven to 350°F, line a baking sheet with a Silpat Non-Stick Baking Mat, parchment, or spray with cooking spray. Using a 2-ounce cookie scoop, form heaping mounds weighing 2 1/4-ounces each (weighed on a scale, which is approximately a scant 1/4-cup measure) and place them on the baking sheet, spaced at least 2 inches apart. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes, or until pale golden and edges have just set, even if slightly undercooked in the center, as cookies will firm up as they cool (The cookies shown in the photos were baked for 9 minutes and have chewy edges with soft pillowy centers. For crunchier cookies, extend baking time by 1 to 3 minutes). Allow cookies to cool on the baking sheet for 10 minutes before removing. Store cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months.

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 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.

BURNT-SUGAR VANILLA BUTTER COOKIES

Steps:

• In a medium bowl, whisk the flour, baking powder, and salt.
• In a stand mixer, beat butter on medium speed until smooth, about 1 minute. Add 1 1/2 cups of the sugar and the vanilla and beat on medium speed until well blended, about 2 minutes. Add the eggs and yolks one at a time, mixing until blended after each addition. Add the flour mixture and mix on low speed until just blended, about 1 minute.
• Turn the dough out onto a large piece of plastic wrap. Using the plastic wrap as an aid, gently knead into a smooth dough (the dough will be soft). Shape into a 12" round log about 3" in diameter and wrap in the plastic. Cut an empty paper towel roll open. Gently rest the dough in the roll and refrigerate until chilled and very firm, about 4 hours and up to 3 days. Dough can be frozen for up to one month.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line 2 or more cookie sheets with parchment paper or nonstick baking liners. Put remaining 1/3 cup sugar in a small bowl.
• Cut the dough into 1/4" slices. Gently press one side of cookie into the sugar to coat completely. Arrange the cookies sugar side up about 1" apart on the cookies sheets. Save the rest of the sugar for decorating the cookies. Bake, one sheet at a time, until golden brown, about 11-14 minutes. Let cookies cool on sheets for about 5 minute, then transfer to a rack for cool completely. Cookies may be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days before proceeding.
• Dip sugared side of the cookies into the remaining sugar. Arrange cookies sugar side up on a flameprrof work surface. Pass the flame of a small kitchen torch over the cookies tops until evenly carmelized. Let cool completely before serving.

VANILLA SUGAR COOKIES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Whisk together flour, baking soda, and salt. Beat sugars and vanilla seeds with a mixer on medium speed for 1 minute. Add butter; beat until pale and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Reduce speed to low. Add flour mixture; beat until well combined.
• Using a 2-inch ice cream scoop (3 tablespoons), drop dough onto parchment-lined baking sheets, spacing2 inches apart (no more than 4 cookies per sheet).
• Flatten cookies slightly using the palm of your hand; sprinkle with sanding sugar. Lightly brush tops of cookies with water using a pastry brush. Sprinkle with sanding sugar again.
• Bake until light golden brown, 14 to 16 minutes. Transfer sheets to wire racks, and let cool for 5 minutes. Transfer cookies to racks, and let cool completely.

VANILLA BEAN SPICE SUGAR COOKIES

Steps:

• Cut vanilla bean in half lengthwise.
• Carefully scrape out seeds, using a small sharp knife.
• Set seeds aside.
• Beat butter in a large mixing bowl at medium speed of an electric mixer until creamy.
• Gradually add vanilla sugar and vanilla bean seeds, beating until light and fluffy.
• Add egg and vanilla extract, mixing well.
• Combine flour,spices and salt,gradually add to butter mixture, beating until smooth.
• Divide dough into four.
• Wrap each in plastic wrap, and chill 1 hour.
• Roll each dough to 1/4" thickness on a lightly floured surface.
• Cut with 3" and 4" your favorite cookie cutters.
• Place on lightly greased cookie sheets.
• Bake at 350° for 8 to 10 minutes or until edges of cookies are lightly browned.
• Cool 1 minute on cookie sheets; remove to wire racks, and cool completely.
• Combine 1/2 cup white chocolate morsels and 1 tablespoon shortening in a 1-cup glass measure.
• Melt morsels according to package directions.
• Place cookies on a wire rack over wax paper.
• Pour or spread white chocolate mixture over each cookie, tilting cookie to coat completely.
• Sprinkle cookies with sparkling sugar.
• Let stand until frosting hardens.
• Repeat procedure with remaining white morsels, shortening, and sugar until all cookies are decorated.

CARDAMOM VANILLA SUGAR COOKIES

Steps:

• In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt & cardamom. Set aside.
• In a large mixer bowl, cream together the butter, coconut oil and sugar until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes.
• Beat in the eggs and vanilla until smooth.
• Mix in the flour mixture until just combined. Divide the dough in half and shape each half into a log (about 2 to 2 1/2 inches thick) and roll in plastic wrap or parchment. Place in the fridge to chill for at least an hour (or overnight -- this would be a great place to freeze the dough logs for a future treat. Just thaw them overnight in the fridge and bake as usual!).
• When you're getting ready to bake, preheat the oven to 375ºF. Line a few baking sheets with parchment paper. Take each roll out of the fridge, slice into rounds about 1/2" thick and place on the baking sheets about 1 inch apart.
• Bake until just barely golden brown on bottom, about 8-10 minutes.

SOFT AND CHEWY SUGAR-DOODLE VANILLA COOKIES

Steps:

• To the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter on low speed until smooth, 1 to 2 minutes. Add the sugars and beat on medium-high speed until creamed and well combined, 2 to 3 minutes. Stop, scrape down the sides of the bowl, and add the egg, cream, vanilla, and beat on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, 4 to 5 minutes. Stop, scrape down the sides of the bowl, and add the flours, baking soda, salt, and mix until just combined, about 1 minute. Transfer dough to an airtight container and refrigerate for at least 3 hours, up to 5 days. Notes regarding the flour - solely using all-purpose flour will work, the cookies will not be as chewy or rise as well because bread flour creates chewier results and gives greater rise. Also, I live in a dry climate and only need 1 3/4 cups flour total but if you are in more humidity or your dough is very moist or loose, adding up to 1/4 cup of additional flour, for 2 cups total, is possible. The more flour, the more the cookies will stay domed and puffed while baking.
• Preheat oven to 350°F, line a baking sheet with a Silpat Non-Stick Baking Mat, parchment, or spray with cooking spray. Using a 2-ounce cookie scoop, form heaping mounds weighing 2 1/4-ounces each (weighed on a scale, which is approximately a scant 1/4-cup measure) and place them on the baking sheet, spaced at least 2 inches apart. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes, or until pale golden and edges have just set, even if slightly undercooked in the center, as cookies will firm up as they cool (The cookies shown in the photos were baked for 9 minutes and have chewy edges with soft pillowy centers. For crunchier cookies, extend baking time by 1 to 3 minutes). Allow cookies to cool on the baking sheet for 10 minutes before removing. Store cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months. Alternatively, unbaked cookie dough can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days, so consider baking only as many cookies as desired and save the remaining dough to be baked in the future when desired.
• Inspired by White Chocolate Snickerdoodles and the Saffron-Vanilla Snickerdoodles in The Blue Bottle Craft of Coffee: Growing, Roasting, and Drinking, with Recipes

VANILLA BUTTER SUGAR COOKIES

Steps:

• In a bowl, combine sugar and butter; beat until creamy. Add eggs and vanilla; beat well. Stir together dry ingredients; gradually add to creamed mixture until completely blended. Chill for 30 minutes.
• On a lightly floured surface, roll dough to a 1/4-in. thickness. Cut with holiday cutters dipped in flour. Using a floured spatula, transfer cookies to ungreased baking sheets. Bake at 350° for 10-12 minutes. Cool on wire racks.
• For frosting, combine sugar, butter, vanilla and milk; beat until creamy. Thin with additional milk to desired spreading consistency if necessary. Add a few drops of food coloring if desired. Spread frosting over cookies and decorate with colored sugar. Yield: 7 dozen (2-1/2-in. cookies).

MOTHER'S VANILLA SUGAR COOKIES

Steps:

• Cream together butter, shortening, sugars and vanilla, using low speed of electric mixer.
• Beat in eggs, one at a time.
• Sift together dry ingredients and beat in slowly.
• Divide mixture into at least four parts and wrap each in waxed paper.
• Chill till firm.
• Working with one part of dough at a time, roll out on lightly floured board, no thinner than 1/8th inch.
• cut shapes and place on ungreased baking sheets.
• Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
• Bake cookies in preheated oven about 8 to 10 minutes. Cool on racks.
• If desired, frost or ice with Ornamental Frosting.
• Makes about 8 dozen cookies.

GINGER SUGAR COOKIES WITH VANILLA ROYAL ICING

Steps:

• For the sugar dough: Whisk together the flour, ginger, salt and baking soda in a medium bowl. Beat together the vanilla and eggs in a small bowl.
• Beat together the butter, granulated sugar and confectioners' sugar in a large bowl with an electric mixer on low speed. Once incorporated, increase the speed to medium and beat until slightly creamy, about 3 minutes. Stop and scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed.
• Reduce the speed to low, slowly pour in the egg mixture and beat until combined. Add the flour mixture in 3 additions, increasing the speed as the dough gets thicker to keep the beaters spinning. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and the beaters themselves as needed. Once all the flour mixture is just incorporated, increase the speed to medium high and beat until the dough is very smooth, about 5 minutes.
• Turn the dough out of the bowl and bring it together. Divide into 2 pieces. Shape each piece into a flat square and wrap in plastic wrap. Refrigerate the dough for at least 1 hour and up to overnight.
• To roll, cut and bake the cookies: Position racks in the upper and lower thirds of the oven and preheat to 350 degrees F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment.
• Dust another sheet of parchment with flour and put 1 piece of dough on top. Dust with more flour and top with another sheet of parchment. Roll out the dough into a rectangle about 1/4 inch thick (about 11 by 9 inches) and place in the freezer for 5 minutes. Repeat with the remaining piece of dough.
• Cut out cookies from one of the dough pieces using a 3-inch cutter. Arrange the cookies about 2 inches apart on the prepared baking sheets. Refrigerate while you cut the remaining cookies. Reroll and cut any scraps of dough. If the dough becomes very soft and difficult to roll or cut at any point during the process, place on a baking sheet in the freezer for 5 minutes.
• Bake, rotating the baking sheets front to back and bottom to top about halfway through, until golden brown around the edges, about 12 minutes. Let cool completely on the baking sheets on a cooling rack, about 30 minutes.
• For the royal icing: Combine the confectioners' sugar and meringue powder in a large bowl. Add the vanilla and 3 tablespoons water and beat with an electric mixer on medium-high speed until the icing forms thick and glossy peaks, about 2 minutes, adding up to 1 tablespoon more water, if needed. Color the icing as desired with gel food coloring.
• Fit pastry bags with small round tips and fill with the icing. Decorate the cookies as desired and let dry for 30 minutes.

VANILLA ALMOND SUGAR COOKIES!

Steps:

• Mix together dry ingredients, set aside.
• Add the rest of the ingredients to the dry mixture. You can use a spoon or a hand mixer.
• Once combined into a thick dough, shape into balls about a spoon full and place onto greased cookie sheet.
• Bake at 350 degrees for 8-10 minutes.