thecookieblogger.com

if you needed a cookie that meets the demands of every holiday season, the sugar cookie would definitely be in the running. they are easy to make, can be shaped into pumpkins for halloween, autumn leaves for thanksgiving, dreidels for chanukah, and santas for christmas. design-wise, they certainly fit the bill.

but often those sugar cookies end up dense, tough, and tasteless. maybe because they’re overworked by the continuous rolling out of the dough. or maybe it’s just too much flour added in to keep them from sticking to the rolling pin. whatever the cause, they often look terrific, but taste pretty blah.

well, i promise you, with this sugar cookie recipe, the blahs are long gone, and you’ll have a tasty cookie that can look good too! this is my go-to recipe for the holidays, but it also does great with a simple sugar sprinkling on top. and you’ll note, i bake some a bit longer, giving a richer color and a crispier cookie, while baking some a bit less for the soft cookie-lovers in my circle. then, everyone is happy!

please give these a try, and let me know what you think. feel free to substitute 1/2 teaspoon of almond extract in place of 1/2 teaspoon of vanilla, and see how just that simple swap changes the flavor exponentially! it’s worth experimenting!

looking forward to hearing how these work for you! happy baking! and if you’re looking to start making your holiday cookie baking list, take a look at one of my past year’s cookie trays for inspiration!!

perfect sugar cookies

ingredients:

1 and 1/2 cups butter, softened

2 cups granulated sugar

4 eggs

1 tsp. vanilla

5 cups all-purpose flour

2 tsp. baking powder

1 tsp. salt

instructions:

1. in a large bowl, cream the butter and sugar until smooth.
2. beat in eggs and vanilla
3. stir in flour, baking powder, and salt.
4. cover and chill at least 1 hour (or up to 24 hours)
5. preheat oven to 400 degrees.
6. roll out dough on lightly floured surface, 1/4-1/2 inch thick.
7. cut out shapes using cookie cutters or free-hand with knife
8. place 1 inch apart on ungreased, parchment-lined cookie sheet
9. (if you decide to add sugar, sprinkles, or other decorations, now is the time to do that!) if you plan to use royal icing, bake the cookies first, then frost after they are completely cooled.
10. bake for 6-10 minutes, depending on thickness of cookie, and desired texture/color of cookie.
11. remove from oven, and let cool on baking sheet for 5 minutes, then remove to wire rack for remaining cooling.
12. frost with royal icing.